


Dreamseer

by Sho_chan19



Series: Dreams and Reality [1]
Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Both are protective, Kairi is a stalker, Multi, Riku is Clingy, Sora can Predict the Future
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-06-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:08:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 29,699
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23608879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sho_chan19/pseuds/Sho_chan19
Summary: For as long as he can remember, Sora have these dreams of places and people he never met before.Or, the fic where Sora can see the future through his dreams and gets confused.
Relationships: Aqua & Terra & Ventus (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Kairi & Sora (Kingdom Hearts), Riku & Sora (Kingdom Hearts)
Series: Dreams and Reality [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730803
Comments: 45
Kudos: 96





	1. Three Friends

**Author's Note:**

> A fic idea that has been going on for quite some time now, and I just started writing them last January.
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you guys enjoy it!

Four years old Sora knew he's not normal. He always have these weird dreams of people he doesn't know, of places he had never been to, things that he felt he knew but can't explain why.

His parents were very much aware of these dreams, but they can't do much for him. Both of them had magic unknown to their land, that they say, have been passed to him. 

The moment both of them had decided to live in this world, they had paid a price for a peace they never knew of, something this world introduced to them. For people who had only known fights and wars, it was a tempting deal, and what a deal it had been.

It was not a deal with the devil per se, but rather, from a certain shop keeper that insists, it was not a coincidence they had ended up in that peculiar domain. They had made the wish in hope, that the small family they are building now would never have to take up weapons.

_“In peace you may live, but are you prepared for the price that may take?”_

Both had answered yes; the price they paid was their magic. Magic filled with convenience and power. 

_For a world that never knew war, it was unneeded._

They may have to relearn everything they knew, but both felt it was well worth it. Never had they thought that their child would awaken their magic though.

Powerful magic often brings either blessing or a curse. They don't know how, or what to call it. 

A power that can foretell the future; it was _ominous_. They were afraid, not of their child, but of what it tells them. 

Dreams that started off as days of déjà vu twists into dreams filled with darkness.

They don't want him to be taken from them, not when they found a place to live. Not when they casted aside everything to give this child a chance of a peaceful life.

So they helped him, taught him whatever they could without giving too much of their pasts. He can know about it, but not now. 

But when months became years, it gets harder and harder to help. His smile became strained, eyes becoming jaded of things he shouldn't have known, of things he doesn’t have to know.

It was rough, for both parents, to see Sora, crying for help in his sleep, crying for people's pain he never met. It never stopped even years later.

A small respite, however, appears in the form of Sora's new friend, Riku. He's a son of one of his father's friends from work, who took them to an island nearby. Both took a liking to each other and quickly made friends.

They later found out, Riku was one of the people Sora often sees in his dreams. One of those dreams was that they fought, in a place so bizarre, a place he believes to be in another world.

These events, Sora later found out, after learning from his parents that they were people from another world, might’ve taken place in different worlds. That those were real places out there, and that the stars in the sky are worlds different from theirs and Destiny Islands.

  
Now 4 years old, Sora was given a small freedom of his own, by being able to walk around their town.

The town is small, everyone knew everyone, so it's pretty safe to let him out alone, though most of the time he's with Riku. Currently, however, they were given free rein of the day by their parents to run amok the now dubbed, Play Island, to their heart's content before their fathers come to fetch them in the afternoon.

The two of them try to catch each other, exploring the place, even making games with things they find. All in all, both were having fun until Sora stops running after Riku, standing still all the while looking at the distance.

Not hearing the footfalls after him, Riku looks back to see Sora having an unreadable expression. “Sora?”

Hearing his name, Sora flinched and walks to him silently. This, of course, sent some alarm bells with Riku. “Is something wrong?”

Seemingly like thinking of his answer, Sora looks up the sky before shaking his head to him. “Nothing, I just… I thought I saw something.”

Just as he said that, another man came to their view on the small islet with the bent paopu tree. Sora's focus came to that man, following his gaze, Riku also caught sight of him. 

“I wonder who's that, I don't think it's either of our dads though.”

Though Riku didn't see it, Sora's eyes held sadness. “He’s lost.”

“Huh? What's that?” Riku asks him, not hearing him.

The other shook his head and smiles to him. “You should try to talk to him, I think it will help you both.”

Riku crosses his arms. “Is this one of your mysterious moments again?”

Sora giggled to him. “You can say that!” Then proceeds to jump away from him.

“Ah! Wait!” Riku reaches out a hand in hopes to catch him, to no avail.

Since he was preoccupied with Sora, he didn't notice the man earlier to have walked nearer to him. “Is he your friend?”

Hearing the voice, Riku faces the man. With a bit of hesitation, he nods his head. “He is. My best friend, to be exact.”

The man kneels to his level. “My name is Terra, can you tell me your names?”

Looking at the other with suspicion, he still hesitates to tell him, but remembering Sora's words, he tries to clear it. Sora never led him astray before.

He nods to him. “I’m Riku,” he then gestures to Sora's general location, “he’s Sora.”

As if searching for something, the man, Terra looks to Riku's eyes, his own trying to measure up to whatever the other was planning to. Terra nods to himself, and before he had anything to say, Riku cuts him to it.

“You’re not from around here, are you? Perhaps not even from this world. Your clothes don't blend here.” 

In a bit of a daze, Terra nods to him. “So it's true? That there are other worlds out there?”

Terra nods to him again. “Countless, actually. They say that every star in the sky is another world.”

Riku was beyond amazed at that. “So Sora was not kidding when he said that. Wow…”

Terra once again sports a serious expression. “Do you value him that much?”

Startled at the question, Riku faces him back. “Of course I do, I promised him that I'll protect him.”

“With your strength, it might just as well be true. But a bit of help doesn't hurt.” He bows his head, a smile ghosting his lips.

With a shimmer of magic in his hands, a blade of sorts appeared. 

Watching all of this, Sora, who looked preoccupied with something earlier, was actually watching them. In his eyes reflects sadness. 

For whom, he's not sure, but when Riku reaches out to the blade, he almost cried out to stop him. _I can’t, I can’t change it. This is too important… for both him, and Riku._

When the two of them seem to be done, Sora then catches their attention by calling out to Riku. 

“Yes! Just a moment!” Even though Riku looks like he still has something more to say, Terra stands up and ruffles his hair.

_Mouthing a small prayer for the new keyblade wielder._

A prayer that Sora knows too well.

Moments later, Riku runs to Sora's place. “Sorry for the wait.”

“I hope you had fun! What did you guys speak of anyway?”

Riku smiled at him. “Now that, is a secret. It won't come true if I tell you.”

Sora blinked confused at that. “Oh! A wish?”

“Something like that.”

Terra watched them, amused at their antics. Just as he was about to leave, his eyes caught Sora's, the boy smiled sadly to him before continuing his chat with his friend. 

Terra left with his glider, Sora also gave a small prayer for him, just as he did to Riku's.

But unlike Terra’s, his prayers were meant to be promises.

  
Moments later, a boy arrived the same way as Terra, also on the islet with the bent paopu tree. 

This time, Riku was doing something near the boats, so Sora was alone on the shore when he saw the boy. When the both of them made eye contact, the boy waves shyly to him.

Sora blinked in surprise, waving in the same manner.

The mystery boy looked around, looking for something, before taking a general direction to the forest to walk to. 

The boy stayed in the Destiny Islands for a bit before leaving unnoticed. Sora offers another prayer, this time, of refuge and healing for the boy.

Several minutes, just moments before the time their parents promised to get them, another other-world person came to the islands. A girl with blue hair and, an ever serene smile. 

When Sora took notice of her, she was wistfully watching him and Riku. The other also noticed his stare and waves.

She jumped down the wooden bridge to the sands where the two friends were playing.

“Sorry for the surprise.” She offers her hand to Sora, helping him stand up.

“It’s alright,” he dusts off the excess sand from his shorts. “Hi! I'm Sora,” he linked arms with Riku, “and this is my best friend, Riku!”

Chuckling at the cuteness, somewhat wistful at the familiar gesture, she offers another smile, introducing herself. “Hi Sora, hi Riku, I'm Aqua.”

Taking in her clothes, Riku connects the dots of their earlier visitor. “You’re not from around here either, are you?”

Aqua was rendered speechless, though before she could say anything else, Riku continues. “A man with similar clothes to you also arrived earlier.”

Eyes widening at the implications, since she also felt the familiar hum of magic from the silver-haired boy. “I am.”

Riku smiles at her, while Sora had a contemplative look. Sora pulled a bit on Riku's shirt.

Having seen this move before, Riku nods and left him for the docks. “See you later Miss Aqua!”

“Hey, Miss Aqua?” Sora calls to her.

Aqua giggles a bit, a light blush on her cheeks. “You can drop the Miss, it feels weird being called a Miss.”

Sora smiles at that. “Then Aqua, can you do me a favor?”

“A favor from someone you just met?”

Sora lets out that enigmatic smile again. “You’re not someone I just met.”

Taken back, she was confused by what he meant. Though before she can question him, Sora shook his head and took something from the pocket of his shorts.

The hand holding the item, reached out to Aqua. “It’s a lucky charm, for you and your friends.”

She took the item from his hands, it was a small pouch. She can't feel what's inside though.

“Thank… you?”

“The three of you seem to always have missed each other in your journey, this is something to help your way.” 

Clutching the pouch near her heart, it gave off warmth that penetrates her heart, calming her tension. “How did you know?”

Sora grins at her, pointing to the sky. “The worlds told me so.”

She stares at the pouch, wondering about its content, but a part of her stops her. Seeing this, Sora waves goodbye to her, and back to Riku by the docks.

Midway, he tells her, her forgotten piece. “I promise to protect Riku just as he promises to protect me!”

Left speechless and partly weirded out by the events, she's nevertheless grateful for the lucky charm. God knows how both she and her friends need more luck in their in this journey.

_I hope you find small respite in this piece of wish, that in your grueling search of your friends… you all will be reunited again._

When Sora arrives at the dock, he sees their fathers rowing to the island. Riku walks next to him, arms crossed, but with a hint of a smile.

“Did you finish what you have to do with her?”

He nods to him. “I did, though I just wished them a safe journey.”

The other nudged him with a smirk. “You liar, you always have something more when you do things like that.”

Sora pushes back his arm. “I do not! Since when do I even do things like that anyway?”

Riku blandly stares at him. “You always have a way to know what's gonna happen in advance, like when we're about to have a test, you leave notes everywhere. The teachers always wonder how you knew there's a surprise test that day.”

The chatter continues until their parents arrive and took them back to the mainland.

_Sora knows it's not normal to see glimpses of the future, but he's thankful for it, nevertheless._

_He likes it, he loves it, he hates it; he doesn't know a better word to describe his feelings other than being grateful for it._

_He views his world through his dreams. He doesn't know any other way to see it._


	2. I'll Find You, I'll Help You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two girls who lost their everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Readers! Thank you for the kudos and bookmarks~ I hope you all also like this chapter too!
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes!

Evening in Destiny Islands is beautiful, it's clear skies are perfect for watching the stars.

Tonight, however, the skies above have something more to offer other than the glowing stars and moon.

_A meteor shower is about to occur._

It starts with one shooting star, followed by another, then a whole lot more. It's beyond mesmerizing.

And it is if you are unaware of its implications.

Two friends watch the great sky, both appreciate the scene. Only one felt the dread as he felt the dying worlds.

Worlds that fall to darkness, some into the realm of sleep.

Through all of this, Sora felt the fear of Aqua as her friends fell, one by one, into the darkness in their fight. The dark master disappears from the worlds after the clash, but not without leaving a harsh mark.

He heard her pleas to her friends as she tried to fight by herself… They inevitably lost.

Terra fell into darkness, under the dark master's control. Her other friend, shattered his heart in hopes of protecting his friends.

She was left to pick up the pieces. She took a journey into the darkness in hopes to light their way back to the realm of light.

Her guilt and fears to his, he can't distinguish which belongs to him or hers.

Tears welled up and pour down his face as he drowns in their emotions.

Now, here he was, Sora, crying out his tears, in pain. He tried to reach out to Aqua so, at the very least, not to let the darkness play with her defenses.

She slipped through his reach. He lost his chance of convincing her otherwise.

He cried beside his friend, who now noticed the tears. “What’s wrong? Were you hurt when we were playing? Did something happened?”

Sora shook his head. “I don't know…”

‘Cause he doesn't know anymore, something did happen, but how can he explain that? He wants to help, he really does.

While different thoughts run amok in his head, Riku silently watches his friend, taking his hand to his, in silent support.

The grounding feeling of his grip helped Sora, his cry slowly turns into hiccups.

“Something happened huh?”

He nods. 

“Does something hurts?”

He nods again, gripping the shirt on his chest. “This, hurts, but not mine,”

Riku nods, this time, another hand pats the younger boy's head. “Then maybe, someone is calling out for your help, just like what you told me before, in your dreams.”

Sora's eyes wide open, surprised at his words. He believes in his friend, sure, but he never thought he actually returns that belief.

Riku had a bit of smug smile seeing the surprised look on his friend's face. “I was skeptic, but coincidences that pile up are no coincidences. Of course I'd believe you.”

Sora closes his eyes, knowing that Riku will be there if something happens during his… search.

Riku relocates from being in front of Sora (from patting his head) to his side. Watching him closely.

When Sora closed his eyes, his world burst in colors. Under his feet was a glowing stained glass, etched with his childish essence of Destiny Islands.

_A representation of his heart._

He reaches out his hand into the nothingness that surrounds the glass.

_“Are you there?”_

The silence was all there was, but he did feel a presence.

_“I can help you, if you want me to.”_

His voice echoes, and surely, it was heard. 

A small ball of light flew down from the dark, making small trails of stardust in its wake.

_Your voice, it cut through the darkness, it led me here._

Sora's extended arms carefully embraced the ball of light.

“Something bad must have happened for you to be reduced to just a heart…”

The heart nods, or rather, bobs up and down.

_Yes…_

“Can I help you?”

It visibly flinched; hesitant and unsure, the heart wobbled in Sora's hold.

_Is… Is it really fine?_

Silently nodding in reply.

_Do you…_

“Yes?”

_I’m not sure why I'm asking this… but I feel like you would know the answer…_

Sora tilts his head in question. “Well, I wouldn't know if you don't ask. What is it?”

_My friends, I… wasn't able to see them before…_

The silence afterward is quite telling. “I’m sure… they'll be fine. They won't just stay down without a fight.”

They won't, because they have a promise to fulfill. Aqua will find a way to get Terra back, she has to.

_You're right…_

Trusting his words, the heart warms up in his hold.

_Hey, do you think I can stay here? With you?_

He agreed, yes, but honestly speaking, Sora wasn't too sure if it's really fine to let the heart stay. He knew who it belongs to and, the importance of this event in the future.

He knew there’s a high chance that the future may already be altered since he's different from what his dreams depict… If it does, he doesn't want to drag him down with him.

But looking closely, the heart has cracks all over it,t no doubt that should he refuse, it will be a matter of time before this heart completely shatters. He won’t ever wake up again.

_As I thought… sorry, you don’t have-_

“NO!” suddenly raising his voice, Sora cuts them off. “Y-You can stay here…”

_…Are you sure?_

He nods at him. “If you don't mind the weird dreams…”

The heart vibrates in his touch as if laughing at him. Scratch that, he is laughing at him, he can even hear him now.

_I'm literally no one right now, and you're still accepting me._

_I don't even think I can mind weird dreams as I am now, or rather, even before all of this._

Sora joins him laugh, realizing how silly the comment might have been.

Calming down after a few seconds of a good laugh, Sora gives the heart a grin. A real grin that might as well rival the sun.

“Good night, Ventus.” He bid him as he accepts him inside his own heart.

He doesn't know how long it will take before Ventus wakes up, or will he ever be able to, but he'll keep him safe for as long as he needs to.

  
Getting back to reality, Sora lets out a snort. “Guess I should trust your words more often.”

Riku smirks back at him. “As if you didn't before.”

The two stared at each other before erupting into hysterical laughs. The good vibes carry on as they walk back to their homes.

He wasn't able to reach Aqua, but he managed to help Ventus. He doesn't know whether he can even reach Aqua as things are but he has to keep trying. 

He'll light her way back, he knows Terra and Ventus also wishes for that. No matter how deep of a sleep Ventus is in, or how far along Terra is within the darkness, they always care for each other.

  
Just a few days after the meteor shower, another important event happens. Following this event is an imminent change.

It's not an immediate change, but rather, a slow approaching change.

A girl had washed up ashore, similar to how Sora's parents came to Destiny Islands. Aside from her name, she had nothing to go with.

However, unlike with Sora's parents, the girl, Kairi, did not wish for this. She's most probably a casualty from the fall of her original world.

While her new beginnings in the islands might have started less than favorable, she is not as hopeless as people might've thought, the mayor of their town offered her his home.

The mayor is nearing his old age and is living alone in his house. Perhaps being alone with no relatives gave him more leeway in making decisions like this, or maybe because the loneliness finally caught up to him.

Either way, it's been decided that Kairi will be living with him now.

Soon enough, the word spread through the town. It's not that much of a surprise, with a town like theirs, gossips go down the grapevine fast.

She was met with a warm welcome.

The girl adjusted well in the islands after a year of living there. She made friends and gained a new family in the mayor.

Sora and Riku frequently see her with Selphie and her friends. The group of friends was mostly on good terms with each other, but not so much as to call them… close.

Sora's dreams frequently affects his daily life. He subconsciously lets out a lot of things. Some are alright, some are nigh unnerving.

Many people know him, but most keep him at arm's length because of this. The only person he's ever been close to was Riku, and vice versa, only Sora to Riku.

Sora has a way of knowing things, so he was not that surprised when Kairi arrived at the docks, looking for him. He's waiting for Riku to arrive to go to Play Island.

“Good afternoon, Kairi!” He greets her before tilting his head sideways. “Do you have something to ask of me?”

Kairi, to her credit, was somehow not unnerved. She did come to the docks to find Sora, but she didn't say anything yet.

Instead of feeling creeped out or unnerved, she was impressed. _Is he a mind reader!?_

Even without saying anything, sparkly eyes can say many things. “I’m not a mind reader, ok?”

She rushed to his side, taking his hands to hers. “How did you do that? You can't convince me you're not a mind reader, how did you know what I'm thinking if you're not!?”

Each onslaught, her face comes closer to Sora's face, close enough that you can mistake them kissing in certain angles. 

Riku found them like this.

He immediately pried Kairi off Sora with speed far beyond his years. “What do you think you're doing?”

She was sheepish enough to apologize after that. “I was just about to ask him something.”

Riku has his arms folded, a full-on glare directed at the sheepish Kairi. “Is that a way of asking someone?”

Kairi looks down and looking chastised. “Sorry…”

Sora pulled Riku's shirt from behind, showing a sheepish smile himself. “Let her go now, she seems sorry enough as it is.”

Riku stared at him for a solid minute before glaring back to Kairi, a sigh escapes his mouth, begrudgingly letting the girl go. “You heard him.”

Kairi looks up from her bow, staring quietly at Riku.

It ticks Riku off, for some reason. “If you have something to say, out with it.”

“Nothing, I thought you were more of the boss, but it seems like Sora's the real boss huh.”

Riku was right in his assumptions. _Take note!_ He froze hearing that.

Meanwhile, Sora laughed beside him, leaning towards Riku for support. “I-I’m the real boss?”

And so, Kairi was dumbfounded through his laughs and Riku's shock.

Needless to say, she wasn't able to ask Sora her questions that day. The older boy dragged Sora to one of the boats and left her.

Let it be known, she landed straight in Riku's bad side.

  
Since that day, she frequently follows them wherever they go. She watches them from a distance or secretly taking a look whenever she's with Selphie.

She didn't tell Selphie and her group of friends about her little adventure with the two boys. From the start, she can already tell that while most people here treat Sora with courtesy, they were cautious of him.

She heard the rumors, but that's all there is, rumors, there's not much to go on.

To the town’s people, he's the strange kid that says strange things, he’s also the best person to ask when finding missing things… and a kid who looks like he knows too much.

_They say, he can see your deepest secret._

If that's true, by some chance it really is true. Then maybe he can help her with her memories.

It's not that she's not comfortable or thankful for the way things are going, but a part of her wants to know what it is that she lost.

She's just 5 years old when she had lost her memories. Of course, she's gonna be curious, even if she has nothing much to remember, seeing other families around her makes her feel that loss.

Maybe she has relatives, a mother, a father... She may even have siblings!

She came to love the mayor as her own grandfather, a family, but she can't shake these feelings and ideas just yet.

She's not from here, it feels different.

Different from what, she can't tell.

_Different from home._

She frequently looks up the sky at night and wonders just what the stars are. The mayor told her some myths about it, one of them was that stars are other worlds.

If so, then is she from another world?

  
The following weeks after the event at the docks, Sora frequently sees Kairi. 

While she’s usually with Selphie and the others, her attention is usually on him and Riku. Riku himself even caught her stare on multiple occasions.

She's trying hard to take a chance to meet with them or, at the very least, Sora. But she’s not making any progress.

Tidus would usually cut her off every time she takes off to the direction of the two boys. If not him, then Riku would find ways to leave with Sora.

Taking pity on her, Sora convinces Riku in meeting her again.

Though he said that, they were only able to meet again near their summer break, just a week before the actual break.

Kairi met them by chance on the beach near the two boys' houses.

Catching sight of her, Riku lets out a sigh and gestures for her to come near them. He nudged Sora awake, who was sleeping beside him on the sand.

Blearily opening his eyes, Sora greets both Riku and Kairi, not even looking surprised at the appearance of Kairi being there at all.

“Good afternoon again, Kairi.” He sleepily smiles at him.

Kairi grips the hems of her summer dress. Not entirely sure what to ask him anymore.

Riku takes another look at her and stood up, taking a chance to ruffle Sora's hair as he walks to his house.

“Riku is really kind~” he whistles jokingly at his friends back.

Riku sticks out a tongue back at him. Childishness at it’s best.

Directing his focus back to the girl in front of him, Sora asks her again; “Do you have something to ask of me?”

She nods in reply.

Sora tilts his head, eyes eerily playful. “Well, I'm sure you heard a lot of things about me. While some of them are true, I'm not sure if I can do what you ask if you don’t say anything.”

Kairi bites her lips, now realizing how stupid she might sound if she asks now. _What if he doesn't believe me?_

“How can I believe what?” the other asks.

“About other worlds-!” she said it… she just said it.

Sora's expression turned back to his usual sunny smile. “Other worlds exist if you think it exists.”

Kairi was dumbfounded again, just in time Riku came back with cold drinks.

Taking a short look at her face, he suited a smirk. “You got played.”

He gave Sora his juice then gave the other to her. “G-got… played?”

He blinked at her, a bit of surprise evident in his face. “Sora, you played this one too far.”

Kairi just drank her juice silently, still dazed.

“I didn't even do a thing! I asked her what she wants from me, then I answered her, that's all.”

Thinking back, she just realized she didn't even say anything about… about him believing what she says, she just said it in her thoughts… _He answered her!?_

Grinning mischievously, Sora turns to her. “I did!”

Riku sighs again. “There he goes again…”

Kairi gives up, this is a certified K.O for her.

She drank the juice, thanked Riku and Sora, and dashed back out. With this turn of events, she is now certain: Sora is a mind reader.

She hears him shout: _‘I'm not a mind reader!’_ in the distance.

She's still not sure how he can help her, but she is certain, that boy, Sora has some way to help her. If not him, then maybe his friend.

He's… also true to the rumors… except for the creepy parts, those are exaggerated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, see you next week~!
> 
> I'll be posting updates every Sunday, GMT+8, or at least until I posted all of my pre-written chapters.


	3. Summer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Summer, friends and a surprise!
> 
> And that apparently, Sora has strange hobbies, hmm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

A few days had passed after Kairi met with Sora and Riku. She was able to make friends with the two of them, although the friendship she has with Riku was more of a rivalry.

Something about Kairi riles him up, same with Kairi about Riku. The two have a way of bickering that just makes Sora laughs hard while watching them.

For some reason, even though Riku and Kairi bicker about anything and everything, every time she was with the two of them she felt she was having more fun.

She forgets she has something to ask Sora, and just enjoys the time she spends with the two. Although Sora himself didn't mention anything, he seems like he's waiting for Kairi to make the first move.

Now, most of her days were spent with the two boys rather than with Selphie and her friends. It was not that long ago when she started hanging out with the two boys, it took her a long time to approach them.

As the days pass, she slips from her daily routine with the other kids and gravitates easily to Sora and Riku. It was then during this time that she made the growing divide between Sora and the other kids worse, Kairi herself being dragged to it.

There was a strange feeling of normalcy when she stays with Sora that she can’t recognize, she never felt it when she was with others too. It’s the reason why she likes to stay with the two boys.

Noticing the growing divide between Kairi and her group of friends, Sora warns her about it. 

“Riku and I don’t mind you hanging with us, but aren’t you forgetting your other friends too?”

Hearing this, Riku leans his back from his seat to Sora's side. “What, don't tell me you've been ditching Tidus and the others just to stalk us.”

“It's not stalking if you knew I'm coming.” She puffs her cheeks, sulking a bit from their words.

Sora stares at Kairi’s puffed face, poking her cheeks for a while before seating straight. “Well, whatever your reasons may be, you've been close with the other kids before you came to us, why not at least say hi to them, or play for a while? We've been spending the whole week together, some kids might go away for the summer so you can't see them for a while.”

He observes her face change emotions, from sulking to considering then glaring at him. “You’ve been saying _kid_ , _kid, kid,_ you're a kid too!”

Riku snorts at her claim, while Sora's smile dimmed. “There’s a reason why people have a certain attitude towards me Kairi.”

“Yeah, right, those people were mostly nosy or suspicious adults who have things to hide. They're just afraid of what you might say about them. The kids just follow the adults.” He crosses his arms, leaning his whole weight to Sora, who in turn, struggles in his position to hold Riku's body up.

“R-Riku, you're heavy!”

Riku leans further. “Besides, Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka are not that bad. They might get swayed by the rumors easily, but they also easily switch sides when they hear your part.”

Sora frantically nods before he tipped over, piled by Riku. “Riku, you had your fun, get off.” His voice partly muffled by his arms.

Seeing this, Kairi made use of her chance and joined them on the pile, this time, Sora managed to switch with Riku but is now sandwiched between Kairi and Riku. He made move to get off but gets caged between them.

“Come on you guys! Let go!”

Kairi and Riku grinned mischievously and simultaneously tickled him. 

Sora shrieks as the tickle went on, Riku and Kairi only let him go after a full minute of tickling.

“You guys are the worst…” he says as he pants.

The two of them stood up and grins to him again, more of a smug look for Riku. “I’m your friend/best friend!”

Riku and Sora look to Kairi after hearing her say that she's their friend. “What? Is a whole week not enough for you to not consider me one of you?”

Sora laughs at her hearing that, Riku had that… scary, disgusted face going on. 

“What’s up with that face Riku? You have something to say?” She crosses her arms, the smirk on her face might've fitted her too well.

I’m not sure how, but Riku's face worsened. Sora laughs harder. 

“R-Riku, don’t let the wind set that look on you, or you'll be a gramps at a young age! You got the hair down already!”

Riku snorts and dragged Sora back to their house. “Talk to your other friends before you talk to us again tomorrow.”

Kairi smiled happily and starts to walk back to her home. _He said other friends! He didn't deny it either!_

  
Kairi recounts her day with her grandpa in their living room, as she did so, he has this melancholic look on his face. “Grandpa?”

Startled out, his eyes crinkle with a smile. “Sorry dear, what is it again?”

“I’m talking about Sora and Riku! I played with them again today!” she chirps.

“Sora and Riku eh? Sora is fine if not a bit peculiar, same with Riku, but that boy is a tad protective of his friend.”

Kairi crinkles her face as she remembers her first meeting with the two. “Yeah… I can see that.”

The older man laughs at her. “They’re good boys though, so it’s very much fine if you want to hang out with them.”

“Aren’t you going to stop me? Most of the adults are… well, wary of Sora, they even told me to stay away from him before.”

“Bah, those people are just yapping their mouths off. They're just bitter about the last typhoon, they didn't listen to the kid so they were hit unprepared.” 

After that, the mayor reaches out to his cup, taking a sip to calm down.

Kairi leans over the table, very much interested in their talk, starry eyes and all. “So the rumors are true? That whole, he can _see the future thing-y_?"

“I wouldn't say all, some are exaggerated. But his ability is sort of an open secret to the townspeople.” 

Kairi listens to him carefully, hanging on his every word. “All of us are very much grateful to him and his family, even if some have an interesting way of showing it to the child of that family.”

She tilts her head in question. “Typhoon?”

The mayor had a faraway look, his hands gripping his cup. “Something terrible.”

Clipped and that’s it, he just stopped abruptly. The man had a tired look on his face.

Kairi’s curious, but not enough to push someone.

_It's here._

  
When Sora came home, he was expecting for his parents to come back later at night, he was surprised that they were already back.

“Huh? You're home already?”

Sora’s mom spotted him from the sofa and smiled at him. “Welcome back, and yes, we were able to finish work earlier today.”

Sora mutters his greetings back, still surprised that they were back early.

She opens up her arms, inviting Sora for a quick hug and kiss on his forehead. 

Soon enough, he hears stomping down the hallway. _“SORAAAAAAAAAAA!”_

His dad greets him enthusiastically followed by a bear hug. “I missed my baby boy!”

Rubbing his chin to his cheeks, his beard tickling Sora. “Dad that tickles! Mom~ help!”

His mom just laughs at her seat, fondly looking at her two boys. “Nope, you're on your own!”

It's not that he can't always predict things, he just didn't want to. Things like surprises are things that give color to life.

After their hugging session, they went to eat dinner that his dad prepared and exchanged stories of their day.

_It's warm._

  
Riku comes back to his mom cooking and his dad at the table reading a book. “I’m home!”

His dad nods his greeting, pushing a glass of orange juice to him. “Thanks!”

“How’s your day sweetie?” calls her mom from the stove.

“Fine, Sora and I played on the island before Kairi went and followed us again, tsk.” 

His mom and dad shared a look, both smiling with a knowing stare. 

“She’s not a crush ok?” Riku narrows his eyes on them.

His dad snorts at the claim, smiling faintly. “We know.”

His mother then giggles to her sleeve. “How’s Sora then?”

Riku's face brightens, then proceeds to recount his day till their dinner was ready.

Riku’s family is close to Sora’s family. Close enough to have pictures of their boys present in each other’s baby photo albums.

Other than being close, Riku's family felt indebted to Sora's family.

However, it’s not something to be angry over, nor is it to be ashamed of. Their family is complete and happy because of their help.

_They're one big family._

  
The next day, Kairi follows Sora’s advice and spent the day with the other kids.

When Selphie asked her where she was, she told her about Sora and Riku. Tidus was somehow envious of her when she told them about the island they were playing on, that and she was able to normally socialize with Sora, and that Riku.

Her face crinkles when he mentioned Riku. “Sora is fine, but Riku can be a pain.”

She stops momentarily, then sheepishly smiles. “He’s nice when he’s not baiting you.”

Tidus folds his hands behind his head, leaning on his chair. “Now I wanna try hanging out with them!”

Selphie looks about just ready to do that. “Let’s go! I spent a day with Sora on a group activity before, and he said many funny things!”

_Funny things? Sora doesn’t-_

Kairi suddenly had an enlightening thought. 

Sora is _funny_ , in the most deadly way. She doesn’t want to know what they were talking about then.

Tidus, however, stepped on the landmine. “All you guys kept talking about were black notebooks, I don’t get what’s so funny about them.”

Wakka pales hearing that, Kairi follows his lead. As if Selphie’s smile can’t get any brighter, _it did get brighter._

The other kids around the four of them were still wary of approaching Sora, but Tidus seemed curious enough to accompany her the next time she _catc_ \- ehem, I mean, _find_. When she finds them again.

  
It didn’t take long though, as soon as Summer vacation hits the date, Kairi brought them to Riku and Sora.

The group clicks well with the two boys. Sora is especially close to Selphie, Riku somehow enters that fray and brought out actual black notebooks, to which the two accepts gratefully.

Wakka and Kairi pray for each other when they saw that scene, but they prayed all hell for Tidus when the boy outright grabbed Selphie’s notebook. It didn’t end well.

Even though Kairi doesn't know, Riku is grateful to her, she managed to do what Riku had been trying to accomplish since day one. He's frustrated but accepts it in peace because she managed to somehow reconnect Sora with the other kids. Even if it’s just Tidus and others for now.

Riku felt a nudge to his side, he saw Sora smiling softly at him. “Silly Riku, you accomplished many things even before that you know?”

Riku confusedly blinks at that. “What?”

“You always have that frown when you’re thinking too deeply.” Sora lets out a sigh, thinking of how he should phrase his words.

“What I'm saying is, you've done more things than you realize.”

Again, Riku’s dazed, and somehow embarrassed. “W-What!?”

Although he has more to say, Tidus calls them. “Hey! Lovey-dovey couple! You guys coming or what!?”

You can hear a whipping sound as Tidus face planted on the sands. “What was that for!? Kairi!?”

Meanwhile, Sora and Riku were left a blushing mess, though Sora seems like he had an idea.

He has that look in his eyes when he’s about to do something brilliant… _well, brilliant for whom, who knows!_

He grabs Riku’s arm and waves to them. “We’re not just _lovey-dovey_ couple! Riku’s my husband Tidus!”

Many things happened at once. Riku had a nosebleed, Kairi vomited blood, Wakka looked and prayed like a Buddha, Tidus ate sands again, and Selphie… Selphie took pictures.

Of course, he didn’t forget to ask for copies of the pictures from her.

All over this, Sora had the last laugh. _I win~_

Summer's here and Sora's enjoying the whole package of Summer season. Including the pranks.

For some reason, Kairi had managed to trigger a prank war with Riku. Yes, _that Riku_.

The cool, level headed kid that everyone admires from afar.

The pranks were mostly harmless and just made for fun, so nobody was harmed. Although he, himself was not included in the pranks, he got a few of it. 

The two looked sorry every time he got dragged to the pranks, even though he's not mad or anything, the two of them looked sorry that he’s the one that felt he did something wrong. 

So, in part of summer mood, and part of wanting to stop the moping of those two, he himself played a prank on them. He didn’t partake before because he felt he was cheating.

The two endlessly blamed each other of the prank, it took them an hour before they even realized that Sora was the one who made the prank. 

Let it be known, Kairi and Riku commemorate the day with gifts of chocolates, which is Sora’s favorite. It was so special to them because it was the first time Sora _officially_ pranks someone. It brought tears to their eyes.

Sora’s dad accidentally saw Kairi and Riku handing Sora chocolates in boxes and misunderstands. “My baby is too young for this!”

_Sora never looked so done before._

It took calling both Sora’s mom and Riku’s mom to stop the madness. Riku’s dad also arrived sometime after his mom came, he snickered when he saw his friend.

He placed a hand on his shoulder. "You will have to let him go at some point.”

Sora’s dad blanked out for a few moments before restarting the mayhem again. _"Nooooooooooooooooooo!"_

Of course it ended, but not without taking pictures for the albums. They filled almost half of an album through this.

_I believe it goes without saying, of course, they sent one to the mayor too._

  
Summer vacation is not a summer vacation without assignments. Sora gradually did his assignments through the first week of vacation, so he’s not that far off in finishing it. So, here he is, writing the finishing touches.

Partway through the afternoon, he was working on it in his room, he fell asleep. Probably because he was exhausted from all the running they did.

It starts off with a yawn, then scrunching his nose as he fights his drowsiness. He wants to finish his work so he'll be free for the rest of the vacation!

It was a fierce fight, but one he ultimately lost. 

The next thing he knew, he was standing in a dark place. It was not total darkness though, since he can still see his surroundings, probably due to the rock formations that gives off light.

He then noticed that his clothes had changed, from his usual clothes of white shirt and red shorts, he is now wearing a long hooded black cardigan with red and white accents that reaches to his knees, over a white shirt and gray shorts. 

He was also barefooted before, but now he’s wearing boots that’s super, unfamiliar to him. He never wore this kind of footwear before. _It looks like a pair of shoes Riku would be interested in._

He takes another look around but as he tried to walk, he lost his balance. He groans as he gets up. “What’s up with my balance?”

He put up a hand to his head to nurse it but stopped midway.

“There’s something wrong in here…” he whispers. He barely recognizes his hands because it was bigger than he was used to.

Surely, if he finds something akin to a mirror, he could’ve seen himself older than what he's supposed to be. His voice didn’t change much, so he’s probably not that older than his original age.

_This is probably in the realm of darkness…_

**_The Dark World._ **

He stands up and looks at the distance. “Aqua must have been here. No wonder why I can’t reach her.”

He takes a step forward, gradually gaining balance with his new height. “What could’ve changed for me to suddenly find this place…”

He places a hand above his heart. “Is it you?”

As if answering him, he heard a hum vibrating through his heart. “I see, of course, you’re worried too.”

He closes his eyes, took a deep breath, then out. “Best we find her then.” 

He reaches out a hand, and a small pouch appears in his hand. Similar to the one he gave Aqua before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _Regular_ updates will be posted every Sunday GMT+8~ 
> 
> Thank you, see you again next week!


	4. Semi-Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ventus keep sleeping through important events and oh, we also have a Princely Riku... Apparently.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter shows glimpses of how Sora's magic works. This magic/ability, will be further explained in future chapters with a familiar character, but perhaps with a few difference from their original personality.
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

All this walking in the darkness, she can’t distinguish her time spent here. She knew she has to get back to the realm of light, she has to wake Ventus. She promised him!

_But how?_

At some point during her walk through the darkness, she arrives in a familiar place.

“This is…”

Looking around, all she sees was the ruins of the world she had known. “Was the Castle of Dreams always this desolate?"

A place so lively… how can it look this _–this wasted?_ It was a stark difference from how it was in the realm of light.

_When did it fall into darkness?_

Sora took out the small pouch, taking out the cloth inside it. “I hope this works…”

His tongue sticks out in the corner of his mouth as he concentrates folding the cloth. “Please help me find what I’m missing, what I’m looking for.”

The cloth reanimates into a form of a bird, to which Sora sweat drops seeing. “So she’s _far_ from here?”

The bird flies in circles above his head before taking off in a direction. “I’ll be counting on you Mr. Bird!”

He takes off following the bird.

Walking through the dark path, he constantly feels the tingles under his skin. Looking closely in the darker sectors off the path, he sees dark figures emerging from the ground, shaking and squiggling all the same. They seemed to be looking for something.

Keeping his eyes on Mr. Bird, he ignores them. “If I were _not_ what I am right now, these guys might’ve attacked me immediately.”

He bites his lip, guilt crept inside him, and perhaps, it’s not only his. “How did Aqua survived here?”

_Darkness in anywhere you look, in every turn. Should anyone let their guard down just for the tiniest moment, it will pounce mercilessly._

The bird he was following led him in an opening between the rocks. The terrain changes from the rock formations around the place to a dark forest filled with thorny vines.

He heard a chirp, he turned to the bird just in time to see the cloth change it’s reanimation to a butterfly. “That’s weird, she should be much farther.”

_I haven’t walked that far to say I should be close enough._

The butterfly didn’t wait for his thoughts and flew between the spaces in the vines. “Can’t say I can do that, I'm too big to fit there.”

He sighs and ran after the butterfly, on his right hand, a white shimmer of magic appears on his right hand. A short sword appears, it glowed white momentarily, powering it up, then he slashed through the thick vines with ease. “At least my lessons with _that guy_ has its uses.”

As he goes on, the butterfly was gaining distance away from him, almost getting out his sight. The vines also got denser down the path, and it’s getting harder to catch up. 

Seeing this, he lets go of the short sword -the short sword disintegrating into white particles, and jumped over the vines, using its thorns and the branches of the withered trees around him used as his foothold. 

_One of the perks of being in a dream; you have a lighter body._

He now had the butterfly back in his sight again, though the sight that greets him was anything but good.

There were several _darksides_ in the vicinity, towering over his surroundings. Far from him, he now sees Aqua in the distance, hitting away the _darkside_ that seems to be supporting the dark orb in the sky. The whole place was being rained upon by attacks of surrounding _darksides_.

_I don’t know whether to regret I arrived here or not… This is a warzone!_

Or so he thinks, but he’s running through the battle-worn path made by the person he’s searching for.

As he was closing into her location, the frustration can be felt in her attacks, her hits became more frantic. Though he now understands why she’s a Master, as frantic the attacks may seem, it still holds accuracy and power, the magic in her attacks were consistent.

_She’s this battered and yet she can still fight?_

Sora was too engrossed to notice that she finally landed her last combo. He only noticed that Aqua defeated that specific _darkside_ when it fell on it’s knees.

He snapped out of his reverie and ran over to her. Skipping and dodging some of the balls of darkness falling.

“Aqua!!!” he yells but, she didn’t hear him.

“ _Crud,_ so she can’t hear me?” he grumbles and tries to run faster… then, it went downhill.

The raining attacks stopped and were sucked into the vacuum made by the huge mass of darkness near Aqua. The air stilled momentarily before strong gusts of wind blew over the place, raging over the ravaged plain. 

The wind blew him over, making him skid a few steps back. “Oh come on! Just a bit more!”

He reaches out his hand to Aqua, just a few more steps ahead and he could reach her already! 

The aftershock of the dispersing darkness made a strong burst of power that almost knocked him out. The only thing that held him awake was the fact that Aqua was now in front of him.

_She must’ve been knocked back from the force of the wind._

The reanimated butterfly was perched on the hilt of Aqua's keyblade, unaffected of the strong wind. Though Aqua herself cannot see it. He caught it just as it unfolded itself back to his waiting hands.

Now that the wind had toned down, he closer inspected Aqua.

Obviously fatigued and battered from her fights. Her eyes… had dimmed from the time he met her.

But while her eyes had dimmed to an extent, it still held a glimmer of hope.

Aqua rushed past him, and he realized why she was in a hurry, why she still have that hope. Her friends were waiting a bit further from where he was.

He followed her pace and just as he arrives near Aqua, he was knocked back. A shot of electricity coursed through him, leaving him shaking on the ground. 

“What was that!?”

He looked up and sees Aqua talking animatedly to Terra, but the person himself seemed confused. 

Sora was also confused, but he got another surprise when he saw Ventus standing listless beside the man. But the thing is, Ventus was not responding, not moving. He's just standing there, his back facing Aqua.

_Ventus hasn’t even stirred from my heart, how could he be here?_

He stands up and walked to Ventus, sending cautious looks to Aqua. _What does that mean? I never had this kind of reaction before…? Wait, maybe I did._

He shook his head, as if trying to get rid of his thoughts, now focusing on Ventus. “If this is really Ventus, then he should be able to see me.” He nods to himself and waved his hand over his face.

He was surprised when the hand he waved in front of the other's face was caught. The half-lidded, blank stare that the older boy held earlier was now confused. He looked up and sees him.

Ventus frowns seeing him. “You’re the boy…?” a surprised look crosses his face, “Sora?”

Sora mirrors his face, a grin took over soon enough. He nods enthusiastically to him, pointing to Aqua and Terra behind him. 

Ventus tilts his head in question. “Behind me?”

Then, as if on cue, a voice calls out his name. “Ven!”

Ventus never turned so fast, you might’ve as well heard a crack when he did that. “Aqua!?” then he sees Terra, “Terra!?”

Aqua tears up hearing Ventus, her voice starts to waver. “V-Ven? Is that really you?”

Ventus was taken back by her tears but quickly embraces her, the other returns back the hug. “It really is me, Aqua.” He pulled back a bit, himself also getting teary-eyed. “I think Sora, helped me?”

He looks back to Sora beside him, he shook his head, crossing his arms for a no.

Aqua had a confused look on her face, while Terra was surprised by his voice. “Ven? Are you there?”

His face was scrunched up, eyes squinting, looking harder in the place he believes he heard them.

“Terra? It’s me! Ven!” 

Aqua shook her head, a tired smiled appears on her face. “He can’t see us…”

Even after hearing that, Ventus was still trying to make gestures for Terra. “Isn’t there anything we can do? There has to be a way, right?”  
Aqua bites her lip, unsure of what to say.

On the other hand, seeing all of this, Sora was also wondering the same thing. _Is the darkness surrounding him too thick to cloud his eyes? Or perhaps… it’s the same as that guy did to himself?_

Sora stepped beside Terra, his hand reaching for the other’s own. He was expecting for it to pass through his body, it was a pleasant surprise that it didn’t.

Sora’s relieved sigh is almost audible just by his expression, “Sora?” calls Ventus.

Sora brings a finger to his lips, making a shush gesture, he then proceeds to touch Terra’s arm. His own hand faintly glowing white.

Meanwhile Aqua was still wondering what was Ventus been saying. “You said Sora helped you, earlier. Is he here?”

“I’m not sure…” he frowns in thought, but soon shakes his head in resignation. “I don’t think I'm supposed to be here either.”

Before Aqua could say anything, Terra lets out a startled yelp. His eyes showing recognition in seeing Aqua and Ventus. 

Sora smiles seeing this, cheering in his mind. _Thank goodness it worked!_

He watched them get acquainted again, there were a lot of tears involved in their semi-reunion. 

He saw how dim Aqua's eyes earlier, but now, it's as if an entirely different person is in front of him, from the way her eyes twinkle in happiness from just being with her friends.

For her, it just might be true, after all, she sees her world in her friends.

Terra has a conflicted look, but even then, he was still trying to be what he is to his friends. Same with Ven.

It would’ve been perfect if things were normal, but that’s the thing _-it’s not_.

They were hugging and the next thing they knew, Terra pushed them away, gripping his head. 

“GET AWAY FROM ME!”

He writhed - _screams_ , it was chaotic. Ventus and Aqua were too startled to do anything. 

Ventus tried to reach out to him, both Sora and Aqua caught his arm before he did so.

“Ven! Don’t!”

Terra's hair changes into white, his eyes gradually changes from warm brown eyes, into sadistic yellow.

Terra, no -the man, met two of three pairs of eyes. “Why Ventus, my _precious_ , _former disciple_. Where were you hiding?” 

Every step the man takes, dread fills Ventus and Aqua. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Ventus stepped back, away from his reach while Aqua shields him. “You will never find him!”

Slow, mocking laugh racks the other’s body, “You hid his body in the chamber of waking, yes? Not much of a genius are you?”

He smirks, “Well, it is of no matter, Ventus will be found. Heart or none is of no matter.” Terra appeared behind as an apparition, seemingly fighting his way back to his body.

“Aqua! Ven! Run!”

The apparition of Terra was caught in the grip of the man in possession of his body. “ _WEAK_!”

Tendrils of darkness surrounded Terra’s body and targets Ventus. Aqua reflects most of the incoming tendrils, but even so, the tendrils overpowered her and made a beeline to her friend. 

She looked in horror as the tendrils merged into a huge, powdery wave covering over both of them.

Ventus reaches out to Aqua, and her to him.

Terra watched them get swallowed by the darkness, crying and struggling from his hold. Himself getting swallowed by the same darkness he _invited_ in.

**“AQUA!!! VEN!!!”**

  
Still holding onto her consciousness, Aqua desperately reach for her friend, who had now fell unconscious. _Ven!_

Sora was also dragged into the chaos, push and pulled inconsistently by forces surrounding them. It was a suffocating experience.

He had a moment to breath when the tide tones down a bit, that’s when he saw Ventus’ getting dragged further into the abyss. Aqua was drifting higher than his position and is pushing against the constraints around her..

When he felt another pull on his side, he pushed it away with force and struggled back to Ventus’ side. What he didn’t anticipate was of another visitor. Oh no…

An apparition of a man, who exudes the same dread like the one who possessed Terra's body… _Xehanort. How? Why? He shouldn’t-!_

One blink was all it took, the next thing he knew, Ventus was cast aside and a hand was in front of his face. _“I found you, little dreamer.”_

Black coat over his body and a hood that covers his face, but not even darkness, could ever hide that sinister yellow. _Nothing_ , could’ve compared to the dread he felt here, he just froze up. 

As the man's hand come closer, a familiar tingle of electricity came through him. Aqua had rushed between him and the man. 

Keyblade in hand, she shot him a chain of magic attacks giving them a bit of a breather. “Sora? Are you there?”

Breathing heavily from the pressure earlier, he was surprised by her call. “I don’t know why I can’t see you or what you’re doing here, but I believe in Ven's words. Please hear me,” she parried another tendril coming at their way, the apparition gaining its momentum and swung it’s own keyblade back at her. 

“Take Ven and get out of here!”

Gritting his teeth, he turned his back to Aqua and ran to Ventus, hearing this, the man shot a beam to Ventus.

 _“No!”_ both him and Aqua echoes.

Aqua attacked to stop him, but the shot was made, all Sora could do was shield Ventus. The attack met his back, making him scream from pain.

Xehanort took his chance and rushed to them, Aqua being kept busy by the surrounding darkness cannot come to their rescue, Ventus still hasn’t regained consciousness and he can’t move either; Xehanort swung his keyblade upon the two of them.

In hope to answer to Aqua’s plea, and his own promise to Ventus… with the remaining strength he has, ethereal chains surround the two of them and Aqua. 

_I have to wake up, now!_

Then, he pushed.

The apparition of Xehanort was pushed away, but so was Aqua. The man narrows his eyes on him, and even at the distance between them, Sora still heard those words; _I will find you again little dreamer._

The last thing he saw before he succumbs to unconsciousness was the face of surprise from Aqua.

_“Sora?”_

He felt a hand over his shoulder, jerking him awake. 

Sora woke up, alert and nervous, looking behind him to see the perpetrator. His heart almost jumped out of his mouth when he saw the nightmarish yellow eyes and white hair.

He screamed hysterically.

“Whoa! Whoa! Sora!?” the man, no, looking closely, it was a boy. He mistakes his aquamarine eyes for yellow.

Sora stops his scream by blocking his mouth with his hands. “Wikwu?”

Riku jerks a nod to him. “I came to get you tonight, your parents will be working overnight again…” he trails off when he saw Sora crying, his hands still over his mouth.

Riku stands up and gets the blanket off his bed, wrapped Sora in it before carrying him back to his house. “W-What!? Riku!?”

Riku didn’t answer him, too focused on going down the stairs. “I can walk you know…?” Riku just hefts him up. “Whoa!”

“I trained for this.” It would’ve been cool if not for the fact that Riku's legs start to quiver once they’re on their porch. 

In the end, Riku’s dad found them standing in front of their house. He offered to carry Sora for him, Riku declined. “I’m Sora’s husband!”

Sora pinches Riku’s hand. “That’s a joke!”

“I’m Sora’s protector!” he roars, hefting him up again, stomping all the way to his room. It was as if he didn’t hear him.

“I’m not so frail to need your protection! Hey! Listen to me!” his protests fell in deaf ears as Riku continues up the stairs.

Riku’s mom took a shot without them noticing, his dad gives her a double thumbs-up, mom gave him a cutesy pose with the camera.

It’s a perfect shot of a blushing, bundled Sora in Riku’s arms, their own son looking so serious, so focused where he’s stepping.

The picture was dubbed: _the prince_.

Arriving in his room, Riku deposited Sora softly on his bed, head covered by his own blanket. His face was hidden within the blanket, but Riku can still see the tear tracks. “Thanks…”

Riku sighs softly before patting his head fondly. “Anytime.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to say... No, Sora is/will not be some sort of Mary Sue. It may feel like that, but I promise, he's not.
> 
> Also, shippings; there will be no shippings for a long while. Though, of course, I will tease a few ships here and here and over somewhere~ 
> 
> Thank you, see you again next week!


	5. Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riku and Kairi gets a bonding moment under the guise of _planning_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally get a talk between Riku and Kairi!
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

That same night of Sora staying in Riku’s house, Riku asked for permission to his parents -secretly, to use the phone to call Kairi. The two adults readily gave the: _oks._

“Just don’t stay too long on the phone dear.” His mom whispers to him, with a wink.

He ignores the wink.

Riku went down the hall for the telephone. Dialing their Mayor’s home number, waiting for someone to pickup, on the third ring did someone picked up.

“Good evening Sir, yes, can I talk to Kairi for a bit?” The line went silent for a bit then he heard the change in person.

Of course, Riku change demeanor too~ “Oi Kairi, we're having a meeting tomorrow.”

 _“Hi to you too dummy, what is it?”_ Riku sighs, massaging his temple. _“Just so you know, I can totally see that sigh of yours from the other line.”_

Riku’s face scrunched up. “We have a cloudy situation, the rain barely passed.”

Riku hears stumbling on the other end. _“Start with that, dummy Riku! Where? What time?”_

You can probably hear his tsk all the way to the other side of the town. “How about, we sneak off for a bit when we meet with the others.”

_“Got it, any more things to add?”_

Riku glared at the phone, “None.”

_“Glum as always this boy, see 'ya.”_

  
When Riku went up to his room, he sees Sora bunched up on the futon. “You sure you don’t want to share the bed again? You know, like before?”

Riku probably won’t admit this to anyone, and if it’s not obvious, he miss pillow Sora.

Eyes still reddish, but not as puffy as earlier. Sora gives him a small smile, as forced as it may seem. “Thanks, but no, I can manage.”

Riku stares at his face, contemplating whether he should convince him or not, in the end he can’t ignore Sora’s wish so he just nodded. He closed the lights and went to his bed.

Sitting on his bed, he looks at Sora who was still bundled on the floor, awake. In a low voice, he asked him, “Did you have one of those dreams again?”

His flinch did not go unnoticed, and he knew it but, he didn’t want to answer. He also knew Riku wouldn’t let his question unanswered for too long, he's been avoiding his questions about his dreams for years now… but honestly? He doesn’t want to think anymore.

Sora gave him a nod, giving him no explanation. 

“I see…” Riku lies on his bed, his back facing Sora. “You can wake me if you need me, ok?” Sora takes a peek on him. “I’ll be here.”

It took a while but he finally heard soft breaths from his side. He relocates from his spot on the floor to the space near the window.

Tip toe, tip toe… soft pads of footsteps followed his trail to his favorite night spot in Riku’s house. This spot has similar view to the one he has in his room; it has the view of the sea and the Play Island.

The sound of the waves calms him.

 _Why does it have to be like that? I finally found Aqua…_ Sora grips his arms, his face scrunched up. _Terra was also there too! Why can’t I…_

“ _Can’t I_ , what?” Sora looks back and sees a white man sitting amicably on the futon. But he knew better. This man looks human but in truth, is inhuman.

Don’t be taken by his captivating looks, this man can swindle you out of your everything without you knowing. That flooffy hair of his is just for show, he's definitely the favorite cretin of the underworld if they can take him.

“I’ve been wondering why you haven’t visited us. Hmm, I guess you’ve been busy huh?” The man gets up, the airy tone of his being rings him true.

“Merlin,” he's not shy to admit that he’s surprised to see the guy, just don’t expect him to say that. “What are you doing here?”

“What, am I not allowed to visit my apprentice?” he leans on the other side of the window, in front of him. “You’re not the only person who can travel through dreams, you know?”

 _Argh…_ Sora had his face bunched up seeing a grin on Merlin’s face.

Also, _my gawd_ , the wink! Sora has something against that obnoxious wink. It’s like, he wants to get a rag and wash that off. _If that’s not enough, I’ll scrub it._

Well, Sora doesn’t have any rag to do that, and he still like this guy to do that… so he did the next thing he could. He threw a pillow.

“Wipe that grin off your face old man.”

Laughter answered him, muffled by the pillow. “Ahahaha, thank you! Thank you! That’s a very good compliment!”

Sora clicks his tongue, “I’m not complimenting you.”

Merlin’s laugh filled the silence within the room. “So, what happened to have your emotions this chaotic? I believe I told you to keep it balance?”

Sora bites his lips, bringing his legs closer. “I know… but who would be ok with what happened?”

Merlin’s eyes were always filled with mirth, people often forgets that this man has looks that can kill you on the spot. “ _Oh ho_? What happened?”

“Don’t look at me like that, I'm sure you already knew about it!” Sora unconsciously raised his voice, he quickly clamped his mouth and nervously looked to Riku; he's still asleep.

“But what would that do? I need to hear it from you.” Merlin answers calmly. “After all the warning I told you, you still went and did your thing. What did you expect me to say? Do?”

Sora flinched and looked away. His eyes start to brim with tears again.

Merlin sighs and finds a more comfortable sitting in front of Sora. _Why does this kid have to love small spaces!?_

Sora glares at him, a pout fitting right on his face. “Of course I love them, because you can’t fit in small spaces!”

It may look like the man's eyebrows have their own life, twitching relentless like that. “I-Is that so?”

A sigh escapes his breath, snugging his head on his knees, Sora looks so small. “It’s better to watch things roll, but… is that it?” Sora looks unsure, making himself smaller in front of him. “Merlin, I think the future changed from when you saw it, from when I saw it.”

The older man narrows his eyes, folding his arms within the folds of his robes. “What do you mean?”

“Xehanort appeared.” Sora’s eyes were hard, it had a harsh glint. He looked away from Merlin to the view outside the window. “I don’t think he was supposed to be there, and… he also saw me.”

Merlin unfolds his arms, “Saw you? You mean, _dream_ version of you?” he nods to him. “Hmm… as I thought it will be much better if you lay off interfering with events relating to _that_. There’s no telling how it will go if you keep this up.”

Sora nods, still not looking. He felt a hand ruffling his hair. “Visit us sometimes, Leon and the others miss your coffee and teas.”

The next thing he knew, he was staring at Riku’s room ceiling. As if he just woke up. _That old man!?_

He would’ve shouted his frustration if he was alone and in a deserted place. Unfortunately not!

_MERLIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!_

  
Morning came faster than Sora would’ve wanted it to. He stared at the ceiling till dawn, thinking about what he told Merlin.

_It’s easier said than done, old man. With events like that in the future… wouldn’t anyone want to change it?_

With the sun peeking past the horizon, Sora gets up and arranged back the futon to the side. Looking back to Riku’s sleeping form, Sora giggled at his sleeping face. _Riku’s always frowning when he’s awake, but I guess, even Riku can look peaceful when he sleeps._

Tip toeing again to the door, careful not to make any sounds, he went down the stairs. His walk to the kitchen was filled with anticipation, with the usual smell of morning coffee and toasts. _Ah, Riku’s parents are awake already._

They were. Greeting them a good morning, the two of them invited him for breakfast. “You can eat here Sora, no need to be shy~.”

Riku’s dad laughs at his hesitance. “What, Sora you’re already a second son to us.”

Sora joins him in his laugh. “I’m sure mom and dad also thinks the same of Riku.”

It’s really difficult to refuse them, not to mention, it felt like he’s being disrespectful if he keep refusing their offer. In the end, Riku’s mom made him a toast before going home.

Bidding them see you later, Sora went back to his house. What greets him right on the front door was the surprise hug of his dad.

“Soraaaa! Sorry we had to stay overnight in the office! I'll get back, ok?” He cries on him, carrying him and all.

“Dear, Sora looks tired, why don’t you bring him inside first?” He's not, I mean, he is sleep deprived, but not to the point you can tell he’s tired, his mom was teasing him.

His eyes was crying betrayal to his mom, leaving him to his enthusiastic dad. _Mom!? Why!?_

His mom’s smile didn’t slip anything… at all. It’s serene as ever, as his dad always call her: saint.

She’s not, she’s an evil mastermind, and it’s especially obvious when she’s with Riku’s mom.

 _Is this decision… really the best?_

  
Riku wakes up with a start, looking down his bed, he notices the futon folded away. “In the end, he never woke me up… did he even sleep?”

Getting up, he prepares for the day. His parents sent him pitying glances when he got to the kitchen.

His mom gave him his share before patting his shoulder. “Don’t mind!”

Riku narrows his eyes, he grabbed his utensils and aggressively attacked his food.

Mornings in this household are peaceful affair. Indeed.

  
Meeting with Kairi and the others was one of the things that Riku can never get used to. For so long, it’s only been him and Sora, but now, because of this girl, there were more people willing to approach Sora.

It’s been a bit more than a month… but he’s still not used to it. Still, he's willing to put effort if it will make his friend smile. Even if that meant speaking with the person he’s not good with.

He arrived early in the play island, seeing as there’s another boat nearby, Kairi must’ve arrived early too. She did.

Just as he finished tying his boat, he heard her. “Ooooiii, gloomy boy! You’re late!”

Sitting at the ledge near the waterfall, there she was, waving languidly at him. “How am I late? We agreed to meet with the others first before sneaking somewhere.”

Kairi crosses her arms, glaring. “If there’s anyone I'll be sneaking off somewhere with, it will be with Sora or Selphie.”

Riku’s eyebrow twitched, “What a coincidence, I have the same idea.” Trying to clear his head, Riku lets out a sigh. “Anyway, let’s go.”

He bypassed Kairi, going straight to the hidden small opening beside the waterfall. Sensing a change in his demeanor, Kairi silently followed him.

She followed him inside, the walls were partly covered with chalk drawings. “What is this place?” she asks in wonder.

Riku sits on top of a flat rock, gesturing for her to do the same. “This is our secret spot. Sora had been asking me to introduce you to this place, I thought why not make this our spot today. Selphie and the others won’t find this easily.”

Sitting on the ground, she brings her knees close. “So? What happened last night? Why cry?”

Riku had a complicated look in his face. “It seems like Sora had another dream.”

Kairi blinks, confused, “Dream? What does that have to do with him crying?”

Riku lets out a deep sigh, “ _Everything_.”

Kairi narrows her eyes. “Does it have anything to do with the rumors around Sora?” It’s phrased as a question, but it was not said as a question.

Riku leveled hers with his own glare, “It does.” His glare was challenging her to say anything against Sora.

The both of them glared at each other, simultaneously sighing and breaking that stare after a while. “Of course it does, so it really is true… shame that I haven’t asked him yet what I've wanted to ask since from the start.”

She heard someone click their tongue. “Oi, what’s with that? Huh?”

Riku smirks at her. “Careful there, your true colors are showing.”

_Annoying as always, this guy!_

Kairi huffs at him. “At any rate, I first approached him 'cause I thought he could help me with my memories. I followed the rumors… but, the thing is…” she looks away from him. “I felt comfortable around him, it was like he's similar to me.”

She looks directly at Riku’s sharp eyes. “I think you already noticed it, but I believe I’m from another world. I only said this because you believe in other worlds outside here.”

“I did, I still do.”

Kairi had a surprised face. “What?”

A sigh escapes him again. “It’s not just you who have interest in other worlds. I wasn’t sure with Sora at first, but he was the one who keep telling me stories that got me more into it.”

Kairi leans her face. “And then!? And then!? What happened!?”

He glared, pushing her face farther. “You asked him before, didn’t you? He also said the same thing to me!”

Kairi pushes back against his hand on her face. “Don’t be stingy! I’m sure he told you more!”

The two of them kept asking the same thing back and forth till they grew tired. It’s almost like a miracle with the cave was still standing after that.

The both of them were gasping for air, still glaring at each other, making gagging noises afterwards. “Wait…”

Grimacing from earlier, she didn’t hear him. “Huh? What was that?”

Riku had a hand on his chin, contemplating something. “Do you think… Sora’s dreams have something to do with other worlds?”

Kairi stopped grimacing, suddenly serious with the change. “What does that have to do with what?”

Unfazed, Riku went on a tirade. “Sometimes, he would tell me about places; weird places that I don’t think exist here. He can even describe them in detail. Imagination alone wouldn’t be able to explain that. Sometimes, it was also about people.”

Kairi slumps a bit in her seat. “Maybe he just has great imagination?”

_It would’ve been nice if that was the case, two of the people he described to me before fit that Terra guy and the blue haired miss. He lets out a sigh. He also keeps mentioning that blue haired miss… Aqua, was it?_

“Maybe, maybe not, but doesn’t it make you question things?” It didn’t need any further explanation. Kairi knew what he was talking about.

She keeps trying to forget about her missing memories, she tried hard not to question things and be content with how things go.

She thought she could forget and move on… but she can’t.

It calls to her. _Everyday, every night_. The stars were her constant reminders.

Riku didn’t need any loud confirmation, he knew already. But it’s always a good thing to hear it out loud. “It does.”

Topics of anything that strays from their normality in the islands were tough to talk about. It has a stigma. But for some reason, it was easy to talk about it with Sora’s parents.

Sora’s parents have this indifference when they talk about adventures, wherein most people here mostly frown upon it. Not that they’re totally against it, just that they felt there’s nothing to gain from it.

Riku had a faraway look on his face, “Sora never told me what really happens in his dreams, but I believe they’re not good. Or else, why would he make those kinds of expressions? It’s one of the reasons I want to go out to other worlds, to find a cure for Sora.” his hand curls up to a fist.

She’s surprised, she knew Riku was protective of Sora, he’s close to him. She didn’t expect it to be this deep, so unexpected that she laughed. Although it’s not mocking, it’s still a bad timing to laugh.

Riku glares again. “Is there something funny?”

Kairi shook her head. “No, at least not about you, it’s about me. I thought I was the only one to want to travel to other worlds. How do you think we’ll go out there?”

The other shrugs at her, “Beats me, but we’ll find a way.”

The talk between them must’ve taken a long while since they can now hear chatters and laughs outside. But they forgot something.

Both of them froze on their walk, “How do we face Sora?”

“Let’s buy him chocolates.” One of them proposed, since it’s a nice idea, they took it.

“Let’s buy.”

Watching Riku from behind, she realized why the boy called her. It was not just about Sora, it’s also about her. _I wish he would be more open about this kind of things. A **we** , huh... guess I finally got him._

  
Riku actually called Kairi, not just because of a cheer up plan for Sora. He's been suspicious of Kairi ever since he first met her. Sora never outright said it either, but he’s sure that the girl was from another world.

His suspicions flared when she started following them everywhere. Sora would always say: _“It’s because she has something to ask of me, but she’s still not sure.”_

Sora had the same look on his when he first met him as he said that. Hesitant, but wanted to make friends.

Hearing her spill it all, calmed those suspicions, although he didn't expect her to just spill it all. Other than Sora, she felt like one of the people he can connect with. _If she’s not so annoying._

Having a weird friend by normal standards is good, he doesn’t regret having Sora as his friend. But he’s starting to feel one with Kairi whenever she cuts his time with Sora.

He'll take it.

  
Riku and Kairi met with the other children on the beach. They look suspicious, definitely suspicious. All of them knew they arrived earlier than them since they saw their boats. It’s suspicious because they’re together without Sora. These two always fight about anything and everything when Sora’s not around.

Selphie had a predatory look in her eyes, pen and notebook ready. “So? Where did the two of you go to? Is there anything we should know? Are the two of you the new lovey-dovey couple?”

Tidus joined her, “And without Sora to boot! What? Did you finally compromise which person he goes to?”

“No, no, no, that’s impossible,” Wakka strikes a thinking pose. “They’re probably thinking of a way to convince his dad to let Sora date one of them!”

At that, Kairi and Riku knocked him out. “ _If Sora’s gonna go out with someone, it’s gonna be me!_ ” They echo. “ _What did you say!?_ ” Kairi and Riku butt heads against each other. “ _Stop copying me!_ ” 

Selphie took out her camera and took a shot, seeing this, Kairi and Riku made a dash to her. “Delete that!”

“Riku’s it!!! Run!” Tidus suddenly yells out.

“What!? I haven’t agreed to anything yet! Hey!” Riku was forced into the game, but well, either way, he played along.

Sora took one look at the mayhem and giggled. _At least they’re honest. Who would’ve thought Riku can be that considerate towards others._

He thought he would join them… seeing the mayhem, he thought otherwise. I'll sit this one out.

He was about to turn to sit under the shade, when someone grabbed his shoulder and pushed him. “Oh no, you’re not!”

Kairi found him… _oh boy_.

“Sora’s it!” and there goes his exit.

Games went on till they all got tired. Riku and Kairi were both satisfied with the smile Sora has on his face, even though they haven’t given enough thought to what they should do for him to cheer up, it’s a really good thing to have him smiling like that.

Arriving back in the main island, Riku and Kairi dragged him off to the candy store and got him a chocolate. The two of them already agreed it was a good idea to end the day.

They haven’t told Sora of their chat in their secret base, and wasn’t sure how to approach that.

Riku felt it was a rather personal moment for the both of them… as much as he hates to admit that.

Sora shares the chocolate between the three of them, even though Riku and Kairi adamantly disagrees, that it was a gift for him. “But the two of you are my medicine for any sad day?” couple that line with puppy dog eyes, the two didn’t stand a chance.

The walk back to their houses were filled with fluffy atmosphere, until, “What do you think of other worlds?”

Sora stops in his tracks, slowly turning to Riku. “I thought I already answered that?” Kairi was also surprised by his question.

Riku looks directly into Sora’s eyes, somehow hoping that he can understand where he was going with this. “You did, but I want to ask again.”

Sora tilts his head, his eyes had a familiar, knowing glint that usually shows when someone asks him questions. “Other worlds exist if you believe they exist.”

Riku’s not backing down, “Why so?”

Sora smiles, eyes close, and walked to the sands near the shoreline. “Because if you can’t even believe that, then how sure are you they exist?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little trivia about our Merlin in this fic, he looks young and that he's the shittiest person you'll ever meet. Don't take his words lightly or heavily, he always bend them! But he's a fun character to write with that airy attitude, so it's fine. Sora calls him an old man to tease, so far he only took it as a compliment. 
> 
> I was actually hoping that this chapter would be the last for their childhood chaps, but Sora is quite sneaky when writing anything that has to do with his magic. So in the end, we get at least 1 or 2 more chapters before we get to the start of KH1. 
> 
> Reason being, I want to lay the foundation for their character, since they have quite a bit of difference in their character compared to their original counterpart. Especially Kairi.
> 
> That's all for now, thank you and see you next week~!


	6. Buy for Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Talk between friends in their want of adventure... in varying degrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Their thoughts about other worlds, some training snips and, how the plans for the raft came to be.
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

_"If you can’t even believe that, then how sure are you they exist?”_

It was as if they were the only people in that place. Riku was rendered speechless, too surprised by his question.

Sora’s words rang through his thoughts, even after he got home. After he heard his answer, Sora just stared at him. It was not his friendly stare either, it was blank... as if he can’t see him, _them_.

He can’t figure it out. He can’t understand what’s going on with Sora. But Sora understands him, he thought that was enough -and it was, until Kairi appeared. She brought changes and, within those changes were confirmations.

Sora knows more than he lets on, and is willing to share with the right questions. He would usually ask him about his thoughts in other worlds, but all his answers were the same. It was like... He was not allowed to say anything, dodging his questions like that.

As if trying to compensate for that, he would often share things he got from his dreams. Things that made his interests in other worlds grow.

"What's holding you, Sora?" Staring at the stars above intently, as if it could give him the answers he wanted.

 _Whatever it is, I'll solve it._ He vows, holding an unfinished chain necklace.

_"I don’t just believe in other worlds, I don’t just dream of traveling to those. It’s my ambition, one that I intend to accomplish.”_

  
Kairi’s in her room, staring at the night sky.

Normally, she avoids looking at the stars, it reminds her too much of things. But Sora gave her reasons to appreciate it more.

Taking out her necklace, she placed it on the space before the windowsill. “ _There are people who appreciate you more than you could’ve imagined…_ those were his words.”

Whenever he sees this necklace, he smiles. Taking the necklace on her hand, she stares at it, basking in the moon's light. “Is there something special about this?”

It's a memento, this pendant was the only clue she has in remembering her past. It may not look anything special, but it has great importance to her. Although it looks old, whenever she tinkles with it Sora would always say that it's special, and that it’s worth more than she could've imagined...

She told him he was exaggerating, but every time she said so, Sora would have this mysterious look on his face. This pendant is special to her, but if Sora says it's special as a whole, then it _will_ be _special_.

_“I gotta say, I strongly believe in other worlds. Not just to find out about myself, but to also have **my** adventure.”_

  
Sora was out, staring at the sea on their porch. His parents were out cold, tired from work.

The sound of waves does calm him, but not tonight. Plagued by his dreams of Aqua the day before, and the conversation he had with Riku and Kairi. It was not as if he can lie to them, maybe he _can_ , but he _won’t_.

Just as Merlin says, _“If you’re to lie, lie with half-truths. But if it's trust you want, be honest.”_

Honestly, he doesn’t know how much credibility that man has, seeing as he lies easily… but he got a point. At first, he made friends with Riku because of his parents, he doesn’t want to be friends with him because he was envy of the _him_ _in his dreams_. Easily making friends left and right… quick to believe the words of others. He wants to be like that. Even if _he_ got tricked many times, _he_ was still willing to believe in others.

But he realized why it was Riku, why he doesn’t envy _him_ in his dreams anymore. He envied Riku for everything he's not, and Riku realized there’s more than what to see in him. He began to see Riku more than a person he sees from his dreams, understanding that this is his time. He's living in the present.

Kairi brought changes with her, he's glad he’s part of the changes she brought. He became more open to people.

Smiling at the moon above, he recalls the laugh they shared that afternoon. “I’ll just have to believe stronger, right?”

_“As expected~ Riku and Kairi are really honest. But don’t leave me, I won’t allow being left behind! I'll follow, even lead… we're better together.”_

  
The next morning, it was only the three of them that ended up hanging out. It seems like Tidus hasn’t done his school works, so Selphie and Wakka are gonna help him.

“I told you guys already, I can finish it all on my own!” Tidus grumps, Wakka and Selphie giving him distrustful looks.

Wakka crosses his arms, standing to his full height. “Tell that to me after you show me at least a few progress in your work!”

Selphie in the same pose as Wakka, nods her head. “That’s right! Your Mom called me yesterday to ask if you were doing your school works.”

Tidus pales after he heard Selphie, “H-How did you get my Mom's…?”

Selphie winks at him, in her hand was a notebook. “We’re close!”

Tidus shuts his mouth, a brilliant idea. Wakka drags him off back to his house, with Selphie trailing behind them.

Sora waves a goodbye cheerfully. “See you later! Good luck with your work Tidus!”

The boy tearfully waves back, he also probably heard his murmur. “You’re going to live through this, so do your best!”

Behind Sora were Riku and Kairi, having a silent conversation. Riku looks like he was intimidating Kairi, but the girl was anything but intimidated. She’s intimidating him back.

 _So? What’s the plan?_ One of Riku’s eyebrows was raised.

Crossing her arms, seems like Kairi was also thinking about what to do. _I’m not that far in completing my school works, so not that… any ideas?_

“I'm curious about your training Riku!” Sora chirps between them.

“Wah!” the both of them jumped out their skin from the surprise.

Still holding the claim for being cool, Riku was able to hide his surprise quickly. “I will never, get used to you and your brand of fun.” He blandly states.

Kairi… was still the same as the first time. Dumbfounded.

“Look, your little surprise short-circuited her brain again.” He huffs, poking at her sides to see if she would respond.

“You and your big words,” Sora pouts, though it quickly changes into a smirk. I'd like to say it didn’t fit, but he had the look of a master villain. He got it from his mom. “Look, you only have to say the magic words.”

Riku watched Sora whisper something in Kairi’s ear, it was a fascinating scene. First, she twitched then she went red, Sora quickly gets back to his side, snickering, just in time to hear Kairi yell. “WHERE IS IT!?”

Both of them took a glance at Sora, who was smiling amicably, then sighs. “I got duped.” She mutters.

Riku was curious what Sora told her, he was about o ask him but Kairi yelled it out anyway. “I finally thought I can have an embarrassing picture of Riku in a girl’s clothes! It was just a dream!!!!!”

The return of the disgusted face appears. “What’s with that face, huh!?”

Riku flips his hair, “Sorry to burst your bubble, that won’t work on me. Maybe if I was embarrassed about it, then you have a chance. I’m not. Besides, Sora also has one.”

“He has!?” Kairi almost drooled and was about to pester him but Sora intervened between them.

“So? What about your training Riku? What are you doing in training?” he flashed that big eyes coupled with a smile, Kairi and Riku set aside the picture.

“I’m just swinging a wooden sword for most of the time, your dad recommended it. Getting used to the weight or something.”

“Eh? You mean that heavy wooden sword he made last, last year was for you?” Riku nods to him, “But that’s so heavy! How can you lift that!?”

Riku shuts his mouth and looked away. “Riku?”

Riku lets out a sigh and gestures back to his house. “Wanna come?”

Sora and Kairi were having conspiratorial whispers behind him. “Maybe he can’t lift it yet?”

“Maybe, dad made that thing so heavy, my arms hurt just by seeing it!”

Riku points a finger towards them in an exaggerated fashion. “You there! I can hear you guys!”

Sora and Kairi giggled, raising their hands as a surrender. “Sorry~”

They’re not, really, just take a look at those grinning faces. Those faces can't be trusted!

Sora blandly stares at the display of wooden swords, each with varying sizes and weights. Ranging the seven wooden swords in varying sizes and weights. _My arms would probably snap if I tried to lift that._

“Riku, if you’re to become a muscle man, I'm quitting as your friend.”

Riku laughs at him, giving him a noogie while he’s at it too, “You’ll at least need a brawl for the brains.”

Sora reaches for his arm, trying to stop him. “If there’s anyone with the big brains here, it’s you! Stop being so picture perfect! I might get threats from girls at this rate.”

Kairi joins the noogie tirade, this time, tickling him. “They won’t stand a chance between me and Riku, so don’t worry.”

Sora laughs hysterically with double tickling from Riku and Kairi. “S-Stop! S-shtaph!” they stopped. 

Sora plopped on the chair in their backyard, a towel on his face, a bottle of water in hand.

Riku demonstrates he can, in fact, lift the heaviest. It was only for 3 seconds, but he did. “Sora’s dad first made the biggest, but I can’t lift it at all so he made the others.” Pointing to the lightest and smallest wooden sword, to the next heaviest.

“Hmm? Was Sora’s dad that strong?” 

Riku huffs, looking a bit sullen. “He is, he's a monster in a human form.”

Kairi pats his shoulders. “You went through a lot, good job surviving.”

He shook her hands off, “At any rate, he said to practice swinging them every day. The one I can lift easily is…” he lifts the fourth to last, the middle one, “this.”

Kairi gave it a try, but she fell over the weight. “Wow that’s heavy. How do you lift that?”

Riku got the sword off her. “I got used to the weight.” Seeing Kairi fall over from the weight, he got an idea. “By the way, did you know that this has the same weight as Sora?”

Sora got a surprise hearing that, so much that he jumped from his seat. Kairi got starry-eyed hearing that. “What!?” They both echo.

“I was still starting with this when I carried Sora, so I’m sure” he smirks.

Sora threw the towel to his head, “That didn’t happen!”

Riku folds the towel neatly, walks into Sora’s side, dabbing it lightly on his face. “It did.”

Sora took the lightest wooden sword from the bunch and points it to Riku. “If I win, you'll erase it from your memory. You got that?”

Riku grabbed the next lightest sword and went to his position. “That is, if you win.”

“Don’t you dare lose this, dummy hair! I need to hear that!” Kairi shouts her cheer.

Sora swung his sword overhead while Riku blocked it with his own. Since Riku was used to the weight, he was able to block it easily.

What he didn’t expect was for a kick to come to his face. “What the-!?”

He managed to dodge it, but he lost his focus on the sword. When Sora swung his sword down to him again, he lost his posture.

The next thing he knew, the wooden sword was poised to his neck, and Sora was grinning above him. “I win~”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Ok, you win.” But Riku was still grinning, “But I can’t take the picture mom took of us.”

Sora froze hearing that, the grip he had on the sword loosened. Taking advantage of the situation, Riku took the sword and carried him. “Looks like I win, Sora.”

Sora was frozen from his hold while Kairi was cheering from the sides. “Yes! Now spill the tea!”

Riku recounts it and Sora slips out of his hold and sat on the chair. “You fight dirty Riku.”

The other stops his story, giving him his cheesy smile. “Yeah? Well, you started it.”

 _Can’t deny that._ He was laughing at him when he caught Kairi staring intently at the swords. “Is something wrong, Kairi?”

“Ah, no, nothing…” she sheepishly smiles, her hands behind her head. Seeing their looks, they don’t buy her words. “I was… just curious about the swords.” The faces of her two friends light up. 

“You want to learn how to wield one?” Riku asks her.

“Yeah, well, to fight actually.” Her head hung low, her hands now rubbing each other.

Sora and Riku looked at each other, smiling as they pat her shoulder. “Well? What are you waiting for?”

She raised her head, seeing the smiling faces of her friends. “Wouldn’t it be weird for a girl to learn to fight?”

“You’re asking us that? I mean, have you seen Sora’s mom whipping his dad? That’s awesome.” Riku's eyes were glazed.

“Really?” She asks again.

This time, Sora nods his head, trying to stop his giggles from getting over him. “Yep, mom is strong like that. So you wanna learn sword fighting?”

Kairi’s looks away, blushing. “Actually, I was hoping for a weapon with more reach. I tried it earlier, and it felt too close, I don’t have the same reach as you guys.”

Riku and Sora blink simultaneously before pointing at each other then to Kairi. “ _How about my mom/Sora’s mom_?”

Sora nods his head, his arms crossed. “Mom is a good teacher. Strong too~ She uses a staff when fighting with my dad. Maybe she can teach you.”

Riku had his hand on waist. “We can ask her this afternoon, they’re home, right?” he asks Sora, to which the other nods to.

  
The three of them approached her that same afternoon, she agreed on the note that she needs to be serious about it. Of course, Kairi agreed.

Although, they were not able to start that afternoon, giving them more free time.

“What to do now?” she moans, plopped on the sands with the other two. Sora was between them.

“How about we plan how to get out to other worlds?” Kairi tentatively asks.

Riku turns his head to her. “What now?”

She sits up, “Well, we're free and all, so why not? We’re not just gonna wait for something to happen, are we?”

“No, you’re right, we're not just gonna wait for something.” Riku sits up, before pointing to the horizons. “The horizons always looks endless, maybe it's endlessness can help us lead to other worlds?"

Kairi stared where he was pointing, then back to him. “Well, it's not a bad idea. How do we do it though?”

He shrugs, a bit of a smile tugs at his face. “Build a raft? I think a raft can take us.”

“Hmm, what do you think…?” she nudges her side, she got no reaction. She looked down and hears Sora snoring softly. “He fell asleep again.”

Kairi watched him brush away hair from Sora’s face. Some of his hair somehow managed to find it's way to his mouth. “So, that’s the plan?”

“I guess so, we can talk more when this guy wakes up.” He says, poking at Sora's face.

Sora hears the plan on their walk home; he only woke up when it was to go. “A raft, huh?”

 _You really can’t fight fate… I don’t want it to happen, but…_ Sora can’t betray the dreams of his friends. Most of all, he also wants to see the worlds _he_ from his dreams went to.

“You don’t want to?” Kairi worriedly asks since he went silent on them.

He shook his head, “No, just thinking, anyway, building a raft sounds good.”

Riku hides a smile after hearing that. “Is that so? Then we're going to be busy.”

And so, they planned and planned for a few years. Saving up allowances for funds until they can to act on their own. The three of them got more closer in time and, the bonds they share even stronger.

_If it’s for these people, I will fight against fate._

But things about them are not simple, Sora knows that. Even so, he still hopes for more time for them.

Fighting against fate is not always recommended because it will find ways to make it happen… and for most of the time, it’s not always the better outcome.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, Riku is already training in something, Sora knows how to fight and, Kairi wants to learn how to fight. These three, in their consideration for each other, wants to train for someone; Riku for Sora, Kairi for her own and Sora, Sora for the both of them. They're precious, I almost feel guilty writing anything against them... almost.
> 
> Anyways~ I have some news. I was able to finish the Pre-KH1 part in one chapter, so this chap is the last for their childhood days. Yay~! I'm already started in the KH1 part~! Yay~! There's a timeskip next chap~! Yay~!
> 
> Yes, there's a timeskip, because as much I want to write the whole lot of their childhood days, it will take me too long to write... that and I miss writing some action scenes.
> 
> Also, just a quick reminder of their ages:  
> Sora: 5 years old  
> Riku & Kairi: 6 years old
> 
> Kairi's age is wrong? No, I intentionally made her a year older. Why? For reasons, but also because Kairi doesn't remember her exact age and people in the islands mistook her age.
> 
> That's all for now, thank you and see you next week~!


	7. Choose It If You Want Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio's growth and the start of things rolling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... in this chap, we get a short cameo appearance of a guest from the future!
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

If someone were to ask Sora what he had been doing for the last few years, he would answer: _training_. No, no, no, no… NO.

Don’t be fooled by this answer. He's a notorious skipper in any of their sessions.

The only sessions he can’t escape was his magic training with Merlin during their periodic meeting. This training includes lots and lots of deceit and lies from both parties.

So, where did Sora learned to be hooky? Merlin. Where did Merlin get the magical girl inspiration? From Sora.

Not to say that Sora didn’t attend any training with Riku and Kairi, because of course, he did. He was still learning some blade handling from his dad with Riku.

At least once a week, the three of them would spar with each other, usually observed by Sora’s parents. Well… _usually_ , 'cause the three of them would have a spar whenever they meet up for their plans.

There’s no exaggeration when people say that these three looks _other-worldly_. You can tell they’re diligently practicing their learned arts just from the way they walk.

Nine years of training is no joke. They have the most saint looking instructors, but their ways were of extreme measures. It paid off though, the whole training experience paid off.

Kairi's certainly a view whenever she practices her skills with her staff. As they say, anyone who is good at martial arts looks like they were dancing. Especially so, when you see her parry attacks from Riku.

Riku became the muscle man as Sora had said, no worries though, Sora haven’t filed the resign letter. Riku won’t allow it either, _however_ , it is said that Sora would often look in envy at his muscles _(reported by Selphie, captured evidence by Kairi)._

Riku’s training with Sora’s father was a success. Riku was now learning a few techniques from him, now that he used on the weight of an ordinary sword.

These two grew up beyond either instructor’s expectations, but of course, that was not to say Sora was lagging in any of his studies or training. His skills in swordsmanship, while not as great as Riku’s own, was not to be underestimated. He can still hit hard.

It certainly made Sora wonder why his skills didn’t improve that much when he got two masters to learn from. While his dad mainly taught him, Merlin checks over his stance in addition to their magic training.

The answer came soon enough when Sora finally realized the uncomfortable feeling whenever he picks up a sword. When he told Merlin about it, the man then recommended to at least learn how to use a short sword or perhaps, a dagger.

_“It would not be good if you were left defenseless the moment you can’t use your magic!”_

But well, he still picks the sword sometimes to spar with Riku. Just to not to let his skills rust, or so he says.

_The sword always felt foreign, even after he learned to wield it. It never changed._

Even so, there’s still a part of him that can’t let go of it. It doesn’t matter how much improvement he made in his magic or in any other blade handling, if he didn’t make the same progress in his swordsmanship, it felt hollow. The wrongness gnaws at him.

_It was a strange feeling._

Throughout the years, in addition to their training, this trio of friends made sure to plan bits to end of everything they can. Sora advised the _no_ , but these two can be persuasive.

They’re way too active in this plan making, so much that it made them look suspicious. With writing materials and whatnots shoved into their small bags, it was always peeking over the cover of their bag.

They even made codes for things for their plans, Riku and Sora vehemently disagree but Kairi made use of her _one-chance-give-me-it-free-pass,_ it’s a sacred pact of their friendship as authorized by snacks and everything sweets… they allowed it. Sora smiled through the whole naming, _this_ and _that_ , he fared better than Riku.

The poor boy, he was too embarrassed to say anything that he managed to perfect his poker face just to hide it. It didn’t work on Sora though.

Truth to be told, the parents were already suspicious of them doing something shady. Sora knew this by day one, even though his mom and dad didn’t show anything that would give them away.

Sora told them _his_ partial truth. “We’re just doing something for the future.”

His dad narrows his eyes, giving off that dark aura. “We’re not talking about the _'M'_ word, are we?” that grip of his could’ve smashed their table then and then.

_“NO.”_

Although things were mundane, other than his occasional dream visions and hopping, there were no dreams about the far future. Several years had passed since he had any dreams of _his_ grand adventure to different worlds.

He thought his dreams of the far future had stopped already… he shouldn’t have been complacent. Especially when there were no traces of those visions happening, yet.

Everything will start on the 10th year after Kairi’s arrival. Ten years, after the battle of the three keyblade wielders.

The year when they were supposed to sail to the stars… and most importantly, the apparent fall of their world into the darkness. All of these happening during summer.

Sora never expected he can have mixed feelings about summer.

_Hey, when are you going to wake up?_

Blue eyes open and all he sees was the flood of the dark sea over his home. Just as he tried to run to it, he was dragged into the waters.

_We’re waiting for you, why won’t you **accept** it? This is our gift!_

On the reflection of the water, he sees his friend with a robed figure he had come to _hate_. One of the sleeves of the robe points to him in the waters, his grin stretch far too much for a human and he realized; _he was not at this point in time._

He reached out his hand to his friend but a different thing caught his hand. It pulled him up, and just as he was about to the surface, another _thing_ pulled on his other hand. It was pulling him in two different directions.

_Why!? Why!? Why!? We’re here! Acknowledge us! Accept us! Help us!_

He tried to pry his hands off but the holds were too strong. It was then he realized he had magic all along.

He fought his way back to the surface for his breath. However, when he resurfaced, all that greeted him was barren land. Void of things he had known it for.

**_Ah, it was that dream again._ **

As summer comes closer, he keeps having these dreams. It was similar to the ones he had around the time he met Riku.

_But it was different, there were no voices then… and Riku was not shown then. It was like, someone or something keeps calling out to me._

His thoughts ran wild in his head through the week before their, yet again, summer vacation. He didn’t realize he was just gliding through his days in a haze, often lost in his thoughts.

Riku and Kairi already noticed this, and Sora was being more secret-y these days. They also noticed he got antsier the closer they get to complete the raft.

Needless to say, Riku and Kairi won’t let this go on for long. Sora can get tight-lipped for as long as he wants, but they won’t lose either.

So, here he is, Sora, squished between the hug of Riku and Kairi. They managed to convince their parents for a sleepover, the mayor approves to have them over on the condition Sora and Riku sleep in a separate room from Kairi.

Kairi was upset about it, though the boys seemed relieved. _“We’re still boys.”_ as Riku would say.

“Now, spill it Sora or we're having a special tickle fest for you.” He paled hearing that but he still kept his silence.

Riku and Kairi had that glint on their eyes, fingers wiggling and ready to jump. “An opening!” they dove to him and gave him the promised tickle fest.

Sora jumped out of their hold, running around the room. The other two quickly followed and tried to corner him.

Through all this commotion, they haven’t noticed the rumble they've been making on the floor can be heard downstairs. The mayor huffs a laugh in their chaos. “Ah, youths.”

But of course, after more than five minutes of their rumble, the Mayor had to check on them. Especially when he heard someone fall on the floor, followed by shrieks.

He entered the room with the specialty of every parent; _he didn’t knock_. The scene that greeted him was of Sora between Riku and Kairi, flushed and disheveled.

The mayor got wide-eyed, giving them a pitying stare before moving back into the hallway, closing the door. “Sorry to interrupt.”

Silence covered the room, a few moments before Sora got up and threw pillows on their faces. “ _We deserved that._ ”

Sora sits on the floor in front of them, arms open. “Where’s my hug?”

Kairi got the front hug, Riku got the back hug. “So? Ready to spill the tea?”

Sora huffs a laugh, he can’t fight the smile taking over his face. “Seriously? After all that and we're back to that?”

Riku smirks beside him. “What do you expect? You frequently come to school with dark circles under your eyes for a while, and now, you’re like a walking talking zombie in auto-mode.”

Sora bites his lips, painfully aware that Riku was right.

Kairi nods her head, all the while crossing her arms. “We’re almost finished with sewing the sail today, and you sew the wrong part. You almost stitch your shirt to it.”

Sora was about to refute her on that but Riku beats him to it. “That and the fact that you almost pour a ton of salt in your pancake this morning, you never mistake salt for sugar for as long as I've known you.”

Sora blushed at that, hiding his face on the pillow he grabbed. A muffled, _‘shut-up’_ can be heard from him.

The other two grinned, the glint on their eyes appears again. “ _You said something?_ ”

He threw the pillow he's holding to Riku’s face. _“Nothing!”_ The other swiftly dodged it.

Nothing has changed with Sora and his secret-keeping, they knew this. Didn’t stop them from trying to make him smile though.

The three of them slept soon enough after the mayor checked on them again. Thankfully this time, no unusual scenes were going on.

The three of them arrived separately on Play Island since Sora and Riku went home that morning before setting off again mid-day. Their task for the day was to finish the leftover portion for the sails and to gather other missing supplies.

Sora volunteered to sew the leftover portion, but he was quickly denied by Kairi. “I don't want another repeat of unstitching the sails from your clothes again.”

Riku shrugs, nonchalant about it since it means that Sora will be with him to gather the supplies. “I already got most of the supplies for the raft so the missing ones are the foods.”

“Then I guess it’s only right we got Riku for this, food supplies are heavy.” Sora got a soft chop on his head.

“You’re also carrying some.” Riku finishes with a smirk. “And no skipping!”

Sora closes his eyes, already walking back outside. “Yeah~!”

The supply run had started peacefully, finding most of the items on the market easily. Other than the food, they also had to stock on a few medicines and bandages.

While checking the items on their way back, Riku took notice of Sora's few hidden yawns he made while they were on their errand. With a gentle frown on his face, he nudged him. “If you were that sleepy, you could’ve told me. I would’ve let you doze off for a few moments.”

Sora shook his head, leaning a bit on him. “I wanna help, so it’s fine.”

A sigh escapes Riku. “You’ve been a walking talking Panda for the last few days now. It would’ve been good if it fits, but you look like death warmed over you.”

Sora looks away, thinking over what he said, while the older boy continued checking over the list again. “I get, I'll get some rest after this.”

Riku hid a smile behind the list he was holding. “If you say so, are you sure you don’t want to go home?”

He shook his head. “Naah, besides, I want to see the raft being completed.”

Lie, he wants to sleep, yes, but at the same time he doesn’t want to. That particular dream keeps repeating every night and he can’t contact Merlin either. Something blocking him from venturing anywhere during his sleep.

He couldn’t stop his sigh after helping Riku with the supplies. After Riku and Kairi pushed him out of their secret place, knowing he wouldn’t rest with their work. He had no choice but to find a spot.

He walked around and found shade near the beach. _The breeze is also nice._

The moment he closed his eyes, he immediately fell asleep.

_This dream is a new one_. Was Sora’s immediate thought when he wakes up lying on the stained glass of a different person’s station of awakening.

Sitting up, he saw the alleviated platforms holding different weapons; there’s a staff, sword, and a shield. It confused him for a moment before realizing what was happening.

A scowl creases his face, finally grasping the reasons for the dreams he had for the last few days. “I’m not doing anything any of you want me to do. I’m not interested in your wars!”

Before he was able to do anything to get out of that place, he was grabbed from behind. “What the-!?”

Looking back, he was beyond disbelief seeing the person behind him. “You? How?”

He didn’t expect to see an older version of himself, especially looking like he did something shameful. Biting his lips, hesitant and all. His body was littered in semi-healed wounds and scratches, as seen from the few tears in his clothes. “I’m sorry… but please, choose.” His eyes look desperate, almost begging. “You can say this doesn’t have anything to do with you, but please, only by choosing the path of a wielder you can change the future.”

The way he spoke was faint, a vast difference to how he saw him in his dreams. He doesn’t get irritated by many things, but this takes the cake. This is not the person he admired. “You’re actually saying that to me? You’ve been through a lot by this! It played all of us, it hurt Riku, Kairi almost lost her heart, _it_ _separated three friends!_ ”

His older self’s gaze softened, he doesn’t get why. _Is he not taking me seriously?_

“You’ve only seen just a fraction of events… there are more.” he smiled but it quickly turned into a frown. “But because of my mistake, I endangered them again. I thought it was bound to be the same no matter what I do, but you’re different from me. You’re not just a kid suddenly entered into the unknown.” His gaze sharpened, staring directly into his eyes. “If it’s you, you can make a different path.”

Sora lets out another sigh, instead of answering him, he walked to the staff and grabbed it. Turning to him, he glared. “I don’t intend to change ours, but I intend to change other’s futures.”

The older boy lets out that goofy smile of his. _There it is, the 100%, one-hit killer smile. Many have fallen just by that smile._ Sora blandly states in his mind. _We’re the same person, but I can’t replicate that, I have motives when I do it… genes are scary brr._

“That’s fine, I can take it!” The smile was cut short when chains grabbed him from the darkness around. “Ack, time’s up… I guess.”

Sora wasted no time and cast spells right away. The spells hit the chains but did nothing. “These chains can’t be severed that easily. It's fine, I did my job… I did great, right?”

_He’s being dragged into the darkness and all he asked was that!? What kind of question was that!?_

Sora grits his teeth, scowling, but he still kept attacking. “Of course you did!”

Older Sora lets out a wet laugh, tears running down his face. “It’s weird hearing that from me, thanks.”

He extends his fist to his younger self, the other thought it was him trying to break free and tried to pull him when he opens his palm; a small blue box hovered to him. “It’s my most treasured thing… I’m giving it to you.” Before he could catch up to him again, the darkness swallowed him whole.

Any thoughts he may have at the time were set aside when he felt great darkness pooling behind him. Glaring steadily at the Darkside that appeared at the center, he dismissed the staff he was holding and with a shimmer of magic on his hand, a wand appeared. “Don’t expect any mercy from me.”

Despite the difference in their sizes, the fight was one-sided. Due to the huge body of the Darkside, he was able to clearly see where it was about to attack and was able to dodge them easily. Swiftly casting magic attacks in intervals during the window time in its attacks. The fruits of his training showing from the way he moves his body.

No matter the number of heartless the Darkside was able to summon, it was easily swept by his magic. Deflecting attacks and attacking, all the same, it’s a dance.

In no time at all, he was able to defeat it, however, instead of chasing away the darkness, it seemed to have pooled around the heart more. Looking wearily at the darkness around him, Sora readies his wand. “Whatever this is, it’s not looking good.”

It was when he heard the same distorted voice he kept hearing from his dreams, constantly calling out to him.

_You finally accepted us! Rejoice! Happy! Use us!_

Sora’s eyebrows rose while he crosses his arms, currently not caring for the darkness around trying to swallow him the same. “Use you? I don’t even know what you are.”

_Always beside you. Weapon. Light’s favorite weapon._

Getting what the voice was talking about, he blinked in surprise. “Keyblade?”

The moment he said it, light flooded his vision while also ridding the darkness surrounding him.

The next moment he opened his eyes, he sees familiar blue eyes. “Good morning. Had a good nap?” Kairi was staring intently at him, arms behind as if hiding something.

He looked back at the sky, “It’s a bad joke of a dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This future Sora went through a lot, and I mean A LOT. This guy's story will further be explained in the far, far future chaps (DDD time fits, so I think it will be around this time when things will get unravel).
> 
> I was hoping to wrap up Destiny Island part here, but I thought otherwise. If I push that, the story might look rushed. I don't want that. So to compensate for that, and to advance the story faster, please expect a double update in the next post of chap, or at least sometime next week.
> 
> That's all for now, thank you and see you soon~!


	8. The Future's Changed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The darkness came into the island abruptly, and things escalated quickly for anyone to actually prepare for it. Truly, the future's nothing like Sora expected it to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!!!!!!!! We got to a turning point in the story~!

_“It’s a bad joke of a dream.”_ Sora was strangely somber when he said that.

Kairi was surprised at his answer, thinking over; she concluded it might be one of his visions. “You had one of those weird dreams again?”

He stood up, dusting his pants for any of the sands that stuck to it. “Yep, but this was particularly nasty.”

She frowned hearing that, “Does it have to do something with our adventure?”

This time, a tired sigh was heard. “It doesn’t matter if it had anything to do with that or not.” He gave her his famous enigmatic stare. “What is meant to happen will happen, one way or another.”

_Just like with him..._

“But it does matter! If you don’t want to go to other worlds, you don’t have to help us. We won’t fault you for that.” She gently finished.

He seemed to think it over, “Kairi,” before he could add anything else, Riku called them. “Riku’s calling...”

“Oh yeah, I was supposed to tell you that we’re about to assemble the logs.” Kairi brought out the camera behind her, catching a picture of him being surprised at the sudden flash. With a flourish of steps, she passed him. “Well, think about it, ok?”

He watched her walk back to their place, still dazed from the events. Turning his gaze up to the sky, he thinks back of what happened in the dream. “I guess I’m caught in _its_ games again. Just as when I told myself I won’t be a wielder.”

_To think he would sacrifice everything for this. I guess for him, a world without his friends didn’t matter, but what about the other **one**? Did he give up?_

Stretching his muscles for a bit, he walks back to their work. “Since I’m here and all, I have to make use of it.”

_Sorry Merlin, but I’ll be defying your teachings. I refuse to repeat **their** mistakes._

Arriving back in their base, he saw most of the logs already tied. He sees Riku glaring hotly at Kairi, who was looking oddly smug when she saw him.

Noticing his arrival, Riku’s crease between his eyebrows softens. “Did she wake you up?”

A light bulb lit up on top of his head. _Ahh, so that’s what’s going on._

Kairi was sending him her best: _I didn’t do anything wrong! Right!?_

He giggled at the scene. “No, I woke up on my own.” Looking down on the unfinished raft, he grabbed the end of the rope in the unfinished portion. “Wood?”

Seeing this, Riku shook his head and rolled with it. “If that’s what you want.”

Kairi sent him double thumbs-up behind Riku, he also sent her one behind his back with a wink. “I can see your antics!”

The other two laughs and sent him their cutest combo of a wink and pose. “ _Sorreh?_ ”

A tick mark can be seen behind Riku’s head, his eyebrows twitched nonsensically. “Go back to school both of you!” He grabbed the back of their shirts, lining them up in front of him. “Say it with me! Sor-ry!!!!”

This side of Riku never stopped Sora from laughing anytime.

Their work on the raft had to stop for the day once the time hits late afternoon. For one, the logs of woods had run out, so they have to look for more. Another reason was for their daily spar. The three of them always leave their practice tools in their secret place for convenience’s sake.

Riku with the regular sword, Sora with a short sword, and Kairi with her trusty wooden staff... They’re a spectacle to watch whenever someone comes across them.

Unlike in their starting years when every strike of their weapons held hesitance and worry, they now held more confidence. They’re confident in their own capability, in each other’s skills. They know each of them can take it.

Currently, Sora was on the sidelines, watching Riku and Kairi deck it out.

Kairi was able to dodge most of Riku’s attacks, her staff was deflecting his hits when she was slow to dodge, which is a terrible idea when her sparring partner was Riku since his hits are heavy. Her attacks mainly rely on speed rather than power so she usually had to stand her guard more when she defends.

Riku’s attacks are heavy; those muscles are not just for show! His fighting style is dangerous, in a sense, he baits his opponents into attacking him in his openings. Since he was the one who deliberately left the openings in his stance, he was able to either block it or use it as another opening in his opponent for an attack. His fighting style is prone to fast attacks like Kairi’s.

Kairi’s suddenly threw her staff above Riku’s head, a diversion for an attack. She slides her leg behind him, but Riku was able to quickly discern her strategy and jumped out of the way of her slide. She, however, was not fast enough to dodge roll when Riku slammed the wooden sword beside her face. That was Sora’s cue to stop the spar.

With a flourish of his fancy hand gestures, he set his arm between Riku and Kairi. “The winner is Riku~!”

Sitting up, Kairi caught her staff as it falls down. “Tch, I’ll beat you in the next spar Riku!”

Riku smirks at her. “I’ll just have to keep my streak then.”

Sora writes another stick in Riku’s record. “That’s 75-74 then.”

Kairi bristles heating that before plopping back on the sands. “Argh, tone down your muscles Riku.”

The other ignores her yet again, turning his attention instead to Sora. “Want to spar?”

Sora sweat drops at his nonchalance. “No thanks.”

Kairi sits up, giving him a blank look. “You’ve been skipping our spars these last few days, are you on a strike again?”

The person in question looks away, smiling, before pointing on the bent paopu tree on the islet. “Last one has to buy us snacks later!” He ran past them, giving them a snicker over his shoulder when they were left frozen on their spot.

“I-ah, _Sora wait!_ ” Riku and Kairi immediately ran after him after a moment.

Sora was already turning to the turn to the bridge, Riku jumped over the ledge to the path to the bridge, closely followed by Kairi. “You’re slowing!” Sora shouts.

In the end, Sora won when he jumped right on the bark of the tree. Leaving Riku and Kairi to compete for the second, none of them wants to end up last. _“AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.”_

Sora watched them bump at each other, trying to up one another. _I don’t want to sound mean, but these two never fail to make me laugh every time this happens._

Riku lost the race... Kairi was smug when she beat him the last second! “Got my win back Dummy Riku~.”

The boy sat beside Sora on the bark, while the younger boy was giggling nonstop beside him. “Stop giggling already! You cheated!” Sora bursts out laughing, “Hey, are you listening?”

_Darkness. Near. Bad._

Sora stops momentarily when he heard the whispers, easily masking his surprise when the other two looked at him. _Aaah, so that’s what you’re waiting for._

It was almost night time when they finished cleaning everything up for the day. Although Riku and Kairi were already by the docks when they noticed Sora was still standing by the entrance of their secret place.

“What’s Sora doing over there?” Kairi tilts her head in question, while Riku was also wondering the same thing.

“I’ll go check it out, you go back now. The mayor will have our heads if you don’t come back on time for your dinner.” Not waiting for any reply, Riku ran back to Sora.

Meanwhile, Kairi was left fuming. “Emo boy! Argh! I’m really leaving! You hear me!?” Riku just went on his way, not giving her any glance. “Ok that’s it, I’m eating those snacks we saved in my room.”

She really left, hurrying back home with a special motivation. _When I meet Sora’s dad on my way home, I’m telling on him._

When Riku reached Sora, the boy was oddly silent. Staring blankly at the spring, “Sora?” ...no reaction. Taking things into his hand, he shook him - _hard_. You might as well hear the bells ringing from how hard he shook him. “Wake up! Whatever it is, it’s just a dream!”

After a few shakes, Sora’s eyes gained its clarity. “Sora!”

Sora stumbled out of his hold, before getting caught back when he lost his balance. “Riku?”

“Geez, what happened? You zoned out.” He said while helping him stand up.

Sora didn’t answer him but instead looked up the now night sky. “It’s probably going to rain... no, a storm is coming.”

Riku looked at him worriedly, “Storm? There’s no forecast or clouds all day...” He also looked up the sky, it was clear.

Sora shook his head and pushes him to the docks. “You have to go back now, or you’ll get caught-“

The silverette caught his hand, glaring. “Is this one of your dreams again? If this has something to do with me, then is it not all the more reason for me to stay here?” caught off guard, Sora was unable to say anything. “Does it?”

The younger boy didn’t have to say anything, pools of darkness sprouted from the ground around them. Sora didn’t waste any more moment trying to explain anything and grabbed the hand Riku had on him. “Run!”

It was as if Riku can’t see the darkness around them he pulled back on his pull, he was looking at him strangely. His brows knitted in concern. “Is there something wrong Sora? You’re worrying me...”

That was when Sora realized, Riku _really_ can’t see what was happening around them. _So that’s your plan!?_

He thought Sora was staring at him, but it was behind him, looking to the same spot he was looking to, there was nothing. “Sora?” _Damn it, I appreciate the stare but look up!_

In contrast to Riku's light-hearted counter to his staring, Sora was on the verge of panicking. Visibly paling when he saw the same robed figure he repeatedly saw in his dreams, trailing to their secret place.

“Ok, that’s it!” Sora took Riku’s hand and ran to the docks.

Riku was tagged along with his friend’s dash unwillingly. “What the- wait- Sora! What’s going on!?”

He heard the rumble above them, looking up, Riku saw storm clouds. The weird part about them was that the lightning it produced was different from its normal color. Looking back to Sora in front of him, he saw the pools of darkness around them. Something’s coming up from those pools, squiggling and wiggling. This time, he wasn’t able to stop the gasp from him seeing those black creatures.

Hearing the gasp, Sora looked behind and saw confusion in Riku’s eyes. “W-What are those?”

Before Sora could answer him, several Heartless jumped behind Riku, ready to attack him. Riku pulled his hand away from Sora and hit away most of those that attacked him. He was dodging an incoming claw when another surprise attack came beside him.

He was pulled to the side then a ball of fire was fired on the creatures. He turned to Sora, wide-eyes filled with more confusion. “W-What-? Eh?”

Sora smiled apologetically, pulling him up again. Pointing to his hands, “I can use magic,” pointing to the horde of black creatures, “Heartless, creatures whose sole purpose in life is to consume the light. Now run.”

However, there was no way to run, in the short moment they stopped, hordes of Heartless surrounded them. “I don’t really get it, but the point is, these guys are bad news, right?”

The voice that answered his question was not of Sora’s, it was unfamiliar. “They are, however, no matter how much you struggle, nothing will come of it.” The robed figure came out from their secret place, his face was obstructed by the hood so he can’t see him properly, but just from the grin, this man had... “Your fate was already set in stone, little dreamer.”

Riku knew there’s nothing good from meeting him. “Sora,” He took a stance in front of Sora, obstructing him from the view of the other man. “I don’t know who you are, but from the way you’re talking, you’re the one who set these things on our islands, aren’t you?”

As if that grin could get any wider, it did. “And if I did?”

Riku wasn’t able to say anything more when the Heartless behind them rushed to attack them. Gritting his teeth, he readies his fists as the horde came nearer while he kicked those that were near Sora.

“Riku!” He swerved left when a claw came suddenly into his view. He was suddenly handed a _real_ sword from Sora. The other boy himself was holding a white stick of sorts. “It’s a wand Riku.”

Too many things happening at once, Riku didn’t dare to question it more... maybe later. Back to back with Sora, they repelled the incoming Heartless. “Is there no end to this?”

Biting his lips, Sora looks to the entrance to their secret place behind the robed figure. “If we can close the door, maybe we can end this.”

A laugh can be heard after he said that. The robed figure was shaking from laughing. “Do you really believe that? Look around you! While keeping you here, the darkness is already making its way here! This world has been connected!” He stopped, then he looked up, those glowing, eerie eyes bore right to them, laughing in mock glee. “It’s my win.”

Just as he said that, Kairi came barrelling into the heartless around them. “Sora!!!!”

Both Sora and Riku were surprised by her entrance. “ _Kairi!?_ ”

“What’s with that weapon?” Riku asks, in her hand was a familiar weapon, a large key handled similar to a sword.

Meanwhile, Sora was nervously looking at it. _I messed up, big time. But how? The keyblade certainly appeared in front of me..._

She gave them a mock salute. “At your service! You guys haven’t gone back and some thunders are going on. I was worried.” She pouts.

“So the mainland is still safe?” Sora asked, shooting magic attacks in places Riku and Kairi missed.

“When-!?” Kairi ducked out of the way from her side, while Riku gave her space. “Chat later!”

Kept busy by the hordes of Heartless present on the beach, Riku and Kairi weren’t able to notice the robed figure was now behind Sora. “Ack!”

Grabbing his wrists, he stopped him from shooting out magic, and had ropes of darkness capture him. “We’ll have to be on our way, little dreamer. Your fate’s waiting to move.”

Riku ignored the attacks from the heartless around them when he saw them. He dove right into Sora, reaching for him. _No, not like this! I won’t let Sora-!_

Just as he was about to reach Sora, a hand grabbed him from behind, stopping his chances of getting him. “That was close! What are you doing!?”

 _Kairi?_ Riku watched in horror as Sora was swallowed by the darkness along with the robed figure.

Riku was way too shocked by the events that he didn’t care for any of the attacks coming his way. If not for Kairi defending him, he might’ve died then. By this time, wisps of darkness started to surround Riku. “Riku! What are you doing!?”

He didn’t answer her, “Now is not the time to zone out! Where’s Sora!?”

That snapped him out. Gripping the sword, he pointed it to Kairi. “You dare to ask me where he was when you’re the one who left him!? I could’ve reached him!”

“ W-What are you talking about?” Kairi asks him tearfully. “There’s no way I could’ve done that!”

The wisps-like appearance of the darkness around Riku solidified enough to obscure her view of Riku inside it. “Shut up...”

Kairi was swept away by the tide of darkness exuding around Riku. “Riku- Wait!”

Then nothing...

Riku was left on the beach, surrounded by darkness and Heartless. The darkness was temporarily blocked out of his mind because of Kairi, but now, he remembers what happened with Sora, the darkness overwhelmed him.

_Sora, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry..._

His apologies never end, even as the darkness starts to swallow him. His mind was filled with his apologies, so much that he seemed to not care even as his surrounding seemed to be taken apart by the winds and the sea turning into inky black.

_Sora... where are you..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It started all of a sudden, I think it fits to also end it abruptly. 
> 
> Turning points/Important events will most probably linger out of the original story. Even so, I'll try to keep close to the original plot.
> 
> Also, the tags are very real. Really. It will also be updated. 🤣🤣🤣
> 
> That's all for now, thank you, and see you soon~!


	9. Another World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first part of traverse town~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I wasn't able to post the promised 2nd chap last monday... I'm sorry for that.
> 
> Have a guess what will be happening today? 😁😁😁
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

**_Confused_** ; that was all Kairi felt when she opened her eyes to a dark alley. Littered with wooden crates, the tall walls around her were all unfamiliar.

She woke up sitting against the wall of that particular alley, behind one of those wooden crates. Looking up, she sees the stars, and also the unfamiliar structures of houses. “Where is this place?”

Standing up and looking around, the strangeness of the place became more prominent to her. “It’s so strange... could it be...” _Did I end_ _up in another world? After I got tangled in that dark void... what happened to the islands? To- ...to Sora and Riku._

Her brows creased in worry when she recalled what Riku told her when he fought her. _“_ _You dare to ask me where he was when you’re the one who left him!? I could’ve reached him!”_

She brought her hands up, shaking, eyes wide and pale. “D-Did I really-?”

Shaking her head, she looks up again. “I won’t get anything done if I just keep thinking about it. I have to get some clues.”

Just as she starts to walk, a dog jumped at her right after she passed the stacks of boxes. “Whoa!”

The dog licked her face, covering it in slobber. “Argh, stop! Stop!” Holding the dog down, Kairi wipes off the slobber, before giving a smile to the dog, special pats were also given. “That was some enthusiasm you got there! What are you doing here boy?”

The dog points it’s snout out of the alley. “Huh? Err...” Scratching her cheek, Kairi sweatdropped. “You’ll... guide me?” The dog nods its head. She just noticed the collar around its neck and gave it a check. “Pluto?”

“Woof!” She smiles at him again and gave him another pat. “I’ll be counting on you!”

She followed him out of the alley to an open area, a square. The whole place was lined upon by street lights, giving the otherwise gloomy feel a warm look.

There were only a handful of people outside, whether it was because it was night time here or because of the weird feeling the place exudes, she’s not sure.

Looking around, all she could say was: _It wasn’t a place that exists in their world._ Her fists were unconsciously clenched into a tight ball. “If Sora was here... what would he say?” _If Riku was here, what would he do?_

Any thoughts she might’ve had at that point passed into a blur when she heard a scream. Turning to where she heard it, she saw a man running towards her before falling into a heap.

His hand was outstretched towards her, eyes pleading. She was struck frozen at her spot as something floated up from the man’s chest before his body dissolves into the darkness and the heart was turned into a black creature with armor.

"W-What was that -!?” Before she could make any coherent thoughts, she was surrounded by various heartless. “What the-!? There’s even one I don’t recognize...”

Knowing that she had no weapon at hand, Kairi ran all over the place, trying to outrun the group of heartless following her. “Ok, that’s it! This is getting ridiculous! Where was that weird _key thing-y_ before!?”

As if by will, the same weapon she wielded on her last moments in the islands appeared in her hand. “What’s with this?” She can’t dwell much in her thoughts, her enemies won’t wait for her. The Heartless around her didn’t waste any more time and jumped into an attack.

Hit unprepared, Kairi was only able to blindly dodge. There was a particular door that suddenly opened, she didn’t see anything, but she was sure someone or something pulled her inside.

She accidentally fell on the floor inside when she lost balance after being pulled. She quickly stood up and closed the door once she saw the group of heartless running towards her direction. “Waaah!!!!!”

Once the door was closed, a voice gruffly greets her. “Welcome-“ well... tried to, “What the- just a kid?”

Looking over what looks like a counter, a gruff looking man stares at her over his notebook. “If ‘yer not a customer, I suggest ‘ya get out.”

 _What the-!? How rude can you get!?_ Kairi fumed inside, though before she could say anything, something _banged_ on the door repeatedly.

The gruff on the older man’s face lessened, replaced by an understanding. “So those pests went over again,” he placed his notebook down, grabbing something from one of the cabinets.

Kairi watched him open the door then pointing _that_ to the horde. Decimating them in seconds. “Cid Canon, the best way to clear annoying pests.”

Kairi bites her lips, keeping her arms to herself, the keyblade clutch tightly. _I retract everything I said, I’d rather not anger this gramps._

“Never seen yer face ‘ere before. Newcomer?” He asks, closing the door again, putting the canon on the counter.

Kairi nods her head, saying thank you while she’s on it too. “My name’s Kairi...I just woke up in one of the alleys here after I fell into the darkness.”

His brow raised, “Fell into darkness? How 'bout ‘yer world?”

Kairi shook her head. “I’m not sure, I...” she remembers Riku anguished face, looking betrayed before she lost her consciousness. “I was with my friends when those things attacked us... Riku... Sora...” at some point, she must’ve started crying.

Huffing a sigh, the older man gave her tissues. “If those things attacked ‘yer world, then most probably, ‘yer world already fell into the darkness. I’m not sure about ‘yer friends, but if they’re alive they should be ‘ere somewhere.”

Kairi stared at the tissue, running his words repeatedly in her head. Seeing this, the older man pats her head. “ ’Ya should at least try finding ‘em ‘ere, this is Traverse Town, a place where people who lost their worlds call home.”

Kairi wipes her tears, giving him a smile. “Thank you...?” she tilts her head in question.

Crossing his arms, that natural grump look returns again. But looking closer, Kairi can see he was smiling faintly. “Hmph, it’s Cid.”

 _Aaah, he’s one of those tsundere oldies._ She thinks quietly, smiling amicably on the outside. “What were those things outside?”

“Hmm? Ah, those were heartless, monsters that live on eating out of people’s hearts. I usually don’t see them ‘ere in 1st district...” his eyes trailed over her. “I guess they found something good to eat.”

Kairi didn’t stay long within the shop, eager to start her search. Profusely thanking Cid as she leaves his shop.

Cid trailed over her figure as she walks out. “What a turn of events, to choose a kid like that...”

Kairi’s thoughts were filled with what she heard from Cid, about her world, about the heartless, about... her friends. She looks up and exhaled. “I have to search!”

Her enthusiasm is very much appreciated, really. Some beings just don’t appreciate her cheerfulness.

Pools of darkness gathered around her, this time, she was prepared for what to come.

Gripping the keyblade just as she would with her shorter staves; she swung it hard on the heartless that would appear within her sight. The handle of the weapon fitted perfectly on her hand. It was a bit awkward with its guard, but she managed around it. Soon enough, she defeated the group.

“This weapon again...” Kairi stares at the weapon, of it’s weirdly shaped body and blade. Blunt as it looks, but it cuts clean, and easily finish those heartless. “Is this supposed to be some sort of a blade? Or some sort of a key?” Looking back, she remembered Sora’s weirdly worried face when he saw it. _Is there something in this?_ Shaking her head, she grips the handle again. “Focus, Kairi.”

While she was preoccupied with the mysterious weapon, she didn’t realize another person arriving behind her. If the person didn’t speak at all, she wouldn’t have noticed.

“The Keyblade have a weird choice of a wielder, of all people to choose from, it had to choose a Princess of Heart.”

Turning around to the voice, Kairi frowned hearing him. “Keyblade? Princess? What do you mean?” When she saw the person, the corner of her mouth gave an involuntary twitch. _Boys and their choices of black._

The man seemed to have ignored the twitch and continued on. He points to the weapon on her hand, “That’s the Keyblade, that alone is enough for creatures of darkness to hound you. Couple that fact with a Princess of Heart, all the more they will follow you.”

Kairi stares at him blandly, a sigh escapes her lips. “I appreciate being called a Princess, but I'd rather hear that from a specific person than an old man.”

“Old-“ it was as if the man was struck by lightning when he heard that.

 _Uh-oh, I struck a nerve there, didn’t I?_ Kairi was told to learn how to play a musical instrument with how often she hit cords on the nerves of people. _I thought I already fixed that._

She watched with great humor as the man's face went through different expressions. “I -ah, didn’t really mean anything by that, mister...”

The man became a statue by then, carved into completion by her comment.

_This person is gonna be troublesome, isn’t he?_

After apologizing numerously to the man, Kairi was not amused when she was struck behind her neck, rendering her unconscious. Following her loss of consciousness, she heard some sort of boastful laugh.

She doesn’t know how long she was asleep, but she woke to someone pinching her cheeks. It was a reflex that she tried to slap those hands... she accidentally slapped herself. “ _Yooooooowch!!!!_ ”

She sits up immediately, nursing her cheeks, now widely awake. “Ahahahaha!”

Turning to the source of laughter, she sees Sora, sitting on the bed beside her, passed out laughing. “Sora?”

His laughter slowly trickles into wide smiles, he nods to her. “What are you doing here?”

He tilts his head, “Well, I was worried. So I came searching for you.”

Kairi grabs his shoulders, shaking him. “I was worried too! I woke up alone after all that, without you and Riku! Then Riku said you-“

Sora suddenly covers her face with a pillow. “Slow down, I hear you.” Kairi muffles something into the pillow. “What was that?” He starts to remove the pillow when Kairi chucks it away.

“I said, **where were you!?** ” Her eyes were comically bloodshot. “I was really worried you know! You were gone then Riku had gone nuts! I don’t even know where I am!”

Sora’s eyes soften, he pulls Kairi into a hug and pats her back. “I’m sorry...”

Kairi grips the back of his shirt harder. “I don’t need your sorry.”

He can’t really stop the giggle that erupts from that. “Is that right? Well... I can’t say much, but I’m really thankful that you managed to arrive in that world. Leon and the others will definitely help you.”

She separates from him, “Leon... and the others...? W-What do you mean? Aren’t you going with me?” she was tearfully clutching at his arm. _What is he saying? Did he know-_

“I did.”

“What?”

Sora smiles again, but this time... his smile doesn’t reach his eyes. “This is a dream,” Her vision blurs, herself swaying in her spot. “Kairi.”

The moment Sora mentioned her name, she lost consciousness again. Her hand was outstretched, almost grabbing him, but it passed through.

_Everything... felt far._

_Here, everything was cold and dark._

The darkness wasn’t as bad as he would’ve thought it would be before he was engulfed. It brought a strange sense of calmness in his mind.

His eyes were closed, drifting deeper along with the tides of darkness. He feels nothing but the coldness it naturally held. His once vibrant silvery locks were muted.

Within this nothingness, all he had was his thoughts to accompany him. Every time he recalled what happened to Destiny Islands... what he did to Kairi... what happened to Sora, it infuriates him to no end.

He didn’t know what happened back then, but he wished Kairi would disappear. It was an unconscious wish, an impulse, nevertheless, the darkness answered his plea. But having Kairi disappear won’t bring Sora back... He only realized that after everything happened. After he watched his world fall.

_Sora... where are you?_

Gripping the sword Sora gave him, strange warmth came over him. His eyes opened in surprise and even more so, when a translucent form of Sora appeared, hovering over him.

It was strange because his clothes were different from when he saw him. He felt unnatural, flowy, and airy. _“I finally found you.”_

The darkness that was surrounding him cleared away. Everything that happened afterward felt like a dream.

The way Sora smiled softly at him while he pulled him up. _It was warm as if the cold he felt earlier was just a dream._

 _“It wasn’t a dream you know!”_ Sora pointed out before looking forward to the light.

He sees the light now; he was being pulled by Sora to it. He smiles, gripping the other’s hand tighter. “I’ll see you again?”

Sora looked at him at the corner of his eye. _“I don’t know, but if it’s Riku and Kairi looking for me... then I’m sure we’ll meet soon enough.”_

The moment they passed the light, Riku felt his hand letting go. He tried to catch him again, but he caught nothing. _“Don’t be scared, I’ll always be beside you. I won’t let you fall into darkness.”_

 _No!_ Riku’s consciousness starts to waver, the last thing he saw was Sora smiling above him.

_I see... I promise I’ll find you. I also have to apologize to Kairi._

**_Then we’ll have our adventure._ **

He already lost consciousness, so he’s not sure anymore. But he thought, he felt his hand again, gripping his before fading completely.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason, I see Cid just how I would see some of our elders would act. Softie to youngsters even though they would act tough.
> 
> That's all for now, thank you for reading and see you...? 😉


	10. In Between

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Traverse Town part 2 and... just where did Riku arrived!? How about Sora!?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double update didn't happened last week, so here we are!
> 
> I'm sorry for those who waited for a chap to be uploaded last Monday, I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter!
> 
> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you'll still enjoy it~!

It was a weird feeling, waking up to the same space, same room, but without the person you were with before. It was alarming when you woke up to unknown people around your bed.

Meet Kairi, the girl who woke up with these same, from point to point, situation.

Weirdly enough, this girl beside her bed greets her like it was a normal day. “Oh, hey! You’re awake! How are you feeling?”

Kairi might’ve stared at her face for a few secs, no, give it a full minute before she smashed the girl’s face with a pillow. She grabbed the other pillow and glared daggers at the other person in the room. The pillow in her hand was being used as some sort of weapon, even a shield. “Who are you? What am I doing here?”

In one glance, this guy looked miffed, looking closer, he had a blush. The guy cleared his throat and starts his piece. “I’m L-“ he hasn’t even started and he already got interrupted...

The girl she smashed the pillow, _poofed_ right in front of her. “I’m Yuffie! A Ninja extraordinaire! The old-looking guy is Squall.”

 _Squall_ gave her head an iron claw, coupled with a glare. “It’s **_Leon_**.”

Yuffie gave him a cheery grin and stood up to her height. “In any case, we brought you here after we knocked you out.”

Anything that Yuffie might’ve said after Leon seemed to have just passed over. She was more interested in Leon. She froze after hearing his name. _Leon? I-Is he the same person as Sora told me in the dream? Wait… is that dream even real?_

Her brows knitted together, deep in thought. _It felt way too real to just disregard it. But I don’t have anything to go by if I really believe it._

Leon and Yuffie took a glance at each other before Yuffie gestures Leon to Kairi. “Is something the matter?”

She flinched before lowering the pillow and sits down on the bed. She glanced up, her eyes were guarded. “My name is Kairi... Is there something you want from me?”

Yuffie blew a low whistle at that while Leon went to the point. “As a matter of fact, yes. But we were not expecting you.”

He glanced at the large key perched on the bedside table. “That thing is called a keyblade. It’s a weapon that creatures out of darkness fears. Something that we are desperately in need, however, we didn’t expect it’s wielder to be kid, moreover, a princess.”

Kairi stares at the keyblade and recalls Sora’s reaction. _Is that why you looked that way? You were worried?_

She bites her lip and looks away. “I got here when… when my world was being invaded by heartless… does the keyblade have anything to do with it? … Silly me, of course, it has.”

She took a breath and looks up calmly. “Do you guys know a boy with brown spiky hair and dark blue eyes? Or maybe emo looking boy with silver hair and aquamarine eyes?”

Leon narrows his eyes while Yuffie drops her smile. They both seemed to have something to say but both didn’t have the leisure to do so. A crash was heard outside, followed by a series of screams.

The two took arms and readies for fighting. “They took notice of the keyblade.”

Kairi stands up and also took the keyblade back in her hand, ready to fight. “If this has something to do with this, I have to fight. I brought those heartless here.”

Leon huffs at that. “You didn’t bring it with you, they’re just naturally attracted to strong lights.”

Her eyebrows were raised in surprise. _Is that his way of comforting me? What the- is he another Riku?_

She no longer has time to dwell in her thoughts when both of them opened the door. Leon hastily barks his orders as the heartless began to multiply. However, the group is not attacking erratically and was synchronizing with others.

Leon stops Kairi just as she was about to start her hit. He shook his head when she looked up. “Search for the boss, leave the small fries to us.”

Just in time when a large shuriken swept away the heartless near her, making a path.

Yuffie gave her a wink, catching back the shuriken. “Go! We can handle things here.”

Not wasting any more time, she took a dash and left the scene. Leon carefully watches her back. He made a clean slice of his blade on the heartless that neared him.

Soon enough, Yuffie jumped back down on the same spot, back to back with him. “What’s this, could it be Squall is worried for the girl?”

“…It’s Leon.” Yuffie had to stop her laughter from that.

Soon enough, Kairi met with two entourage of a king from a different world. They call themselves Goofy, and Donald. After the three of them defeated the boss of the heartless, she was invited to join them on a journey to different worlds on their search for their King.

She was reluctant, she hasn’t even searched Traverse Town for Sora and Riku. Now, these guys want to get on the road already.

_What if Sora came here? What if Riku is here and we just missed each other? I have to at least search before I leave. I need to ask them!_

She was stuck on her spot while Donald and Goofy looked at her with worry. The two of them turned around and whispers conversation between them.

“Donald, are you sure about this? Kairi seemed to be pressured about this.” Goofy starts, feeling sympathetic with Kairi.

Donald glares at him, “We have to bring her with us! The King says so in his letter! We need the key!”

“But…” Goofy looks back to Kairi, the girl was looking down. _She’s biting her lip again_. “She’s a kid Donald, even if she’s a Keyblade wielder or a Princess. Let’s give her some time.”

Donal was about to prove the mightiness of his duck side when Leon arrived.

He took one look and immediately knew what was happening. With a sigh, he calls out to Kairi. “I recommend going with them if you want to search for your friends.”

Kairi was still looking down. “But…”

“I’m sure Sora can find his way here.”

She looked up, surprised hearing Sora’s name from him. _I… haven’t said Sora’s name to them._

Yuffie smiles at her beside Leon, while the man himself looked away, so she couldn’t see his face. “We know Sora, but only Leon actually saw his face. He’s a usual visitor here. The last we saw him was months ago, we were also wondering what happened to him till you described him to a T."

Donald and Goofy looked at them, wondering what they were talking about. “Who’s Sora?”

“Our strange kid benefactor.”

Kairi finally giggled at that. “Even in other worlds, Sora is still called strange.”

Kairi made up her mind and agreed to go with Donald and Goofy. Her reason?

It’s not just to find Sora, she’s reassured to hear that piece of information from Leon and Yuffie. She wants to find Riku and get things straight between them again. Why he said that and what really happened in Play Island that day... She got her priorities straight.

...She didn’t expect that a spaceship is used in traveling to other worlds. Well, that and Donald’s magic felt off compared to what she saw with Sora. _(She might be biased though)._

Leon and Yuffie watched as the ship leaves Traverse Town. Yuffie noticed Leon was almost glaring at the sky. “Worried?”

Leon shook his head. “I don’t think so, but I’m curious about what happened with the kid. Merlin hasn’t come back yet either.”

“Merlin? Wasn’t he busy with his _otherworldly_ sideline, or whatever it was. He said he was gonna be gone for a while too.”

Leon crosses his arms. “I hope I’m not reading too much about this, but I got a bad feeling.”

The serious vibe stayed for a few moments before Yuffie poked his side, it barely gave off any reaction from Leon. “ ‘Ya sure it ain't about you getting older? Old man?”

Leon turned around and walked away. Still, Yuffie saw his dejected-looking face. “It bothers you that much, huh? Kairi sure did a number on him.”

He woke up, standing, how he managed that, the person himself didn’t know. Aquamarine eyes scan his surroundings, all the while gripping the sword tighter. “Where is this place?”

Rocky terrain with strange rock formations with a strange glow, dark sandy texture of the land... it was all unfamiliar. However, if there was something that gave him some sort of comfort, it was the sound of the waves. He turned around and there it is, the sea.

Dark skies with a strange looking ball of light at the horizons. “Is this... another world?”

He stared at it longer than he thought, because the next thing he knew, the heartless starts to appear behind him. “These things again...”

He draws the sword and readies his stance, eyes hard and piercing. “Come and I’ll cut you clean.”

There’s no need for hesitation, no need to consider for his opponent’s health. He needs them gone.

He draws his sword and slashed, his mind filled to the brim of his worries. But with each slash he made, there’s one less thing to be let out.

Cutting the last heartless, he watched it fade into nothing. Although after it, Riku was left panting from the intense workout.

This exhaustion didn’t last long, and he sprung back into action when he heard someone clapping behind him. His sword was raised again, pointing to the person.

His eyes widen when he saw who the person was, and brought down the sword. “Wait… the blue-haired miss from before?”

It was Aqua.

She gave him a faint smile, she was actually relieved he still remembers her. “It’s been such a long time, hasn’t it?”

Sora was not a happy camper. No sir, he's not.

_Getting kidnapped by that guy… I'm not a princess damn it._

The problem was not the kidnapping part, it was getting captured in this weird binding. He can’t use his magic, not to mention the pain as if it was searing his skin from the way it emanates darkness.

He struggled out of his bonds and still, he only got his legs out. He kicked his shoes up before trying to kick the person carrying him to where it _hurts_.

He dodged it though.

But Sora got what he wanted. He got out of his hold.

Forcing out his magic from his binding, he managed to break it completely and got away from the corridor of darkness.

_And now, here I am, lost in between worlds with nothing to go by._

He was literally floating in _space_ with nothing but his ordinary clothes on him, he was not even wearing the one Merlin made for him. “What to do now?”

He was just staring ahead, thinking of things he can do when he heard a series of knocks inside his heart. “What now? I can’t close my eyes just to see you, I can’t let my guard down here.”

The knocks stop, instead, his right hand glowed, a burst of magic came through and a familiar weapon appears in his hand. “Hmm... You want me to use you?”

As if answering him, the Keyblade glowed faintly. “I don’t mind but I only have ideas on how to use you.” The glow dimmed, “Hey, don’t be like that, we’ll help each other, ok?” _Well, actually, it’s supposed to be the keyblade to help me._

Trying to remember what happened during _his_ trips, he imitates his stance mid-air. Bringing the keyblade up, supporting it with his magic, he let it do its magic.

A beam of light shoots into an empty space, creating an opening similar to a dark corridor in its wake. Seeing this, Sora didn’t waste any more time and jumped into it. Upon entering it, he felt a familiar hum of magic, immediately knowing which world he’s arriving to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Riku meeting with Aqua? It's a thing that I've been thinking of when I saw that scene in KH Fragmentary Passage, when Aqua saw a glimpse of Riku.
> 
> Since Kairi was going through the route the way Sora did in the game, I was thinking of prioritizing more screen-time for Riku and Sora. But knowing me, I'll probably try to write them with equal screen-time. 
> 
> That's all for now, thank you for reading and see you again next week~!  
> P.S. I hope you guys are doing alright! Some of us might have to go back to work soon, if they're not already working through the whole ordeal. Stay safe~!


	11. Being Aware

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An emotional Sora, antsy Riku, and... Kairi being Kairi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not perfect, and the fic itself might have a lot of grammar mistakes, but I hope you guys enjoy it!

There were a lot of things Sora expected when he went through that hole. He knew who he will meet. But he didn’t expect his emotions to just burst like this.

Like… like he was back being a kid.

His eyes literally teared up when he saw Merlin. _Merlin_ , of all people.

The guy was in his blue magician garb, looking aged. A huge contrast to his looks from when they meet in his dreams.

Were Sora had his emotions in control, he would’ve been laughing non-stop right now. ~~Scratch that, he's already laughing.~~

He was laughing while his tears fall, he was a mess. Seeing this, Merlin can’t help but sigh. The bucket of water he was about to get from the well, now forgotten, he brought up his wand and gave it a _whish_.

Not enough. Another one. Then a twirl.

He went back to the cottage, trailing behind him was a floating Sora. Still crying and laughing.

_ Youths today. _

Merlin was not expecting Sora to arrive. There was nothing, _at all_ , that tells him that he was supposed to be here. It raised alarms in his head.

From the looks of things when he last checked up on King Mickey, things were not doing good. The Kingly Mouse was still searching for a way to the dark realm when they met, and the heartless was consuming more worlds as time passes. 

There was no definitive way to enter the realm of darkness. There was not much he could’ve told him, except to meet his apprentice. As embarrassing as it was, Sora had more chances to enter that place than him.

King Mickey left his humble abode with a favor for him. He accepted it, seeing as it was almost time he relocates back to his place in Traverse Town.

He only took a small break before he took off, for tea time! Then, the very same apprentice he was thinking about fell in front of him.

An emotional, in-denial kid, cried then laughs the next moment he saw him. _The nerve! This form is marvelous!_

Now, here’s the Great Wizard, Merlin, watching over a kid sleeping on his sofa in his living room. He took a look around the room, debating whether he should start the move. _I should have enough time to spare before the lass arrives in Traverse Town._

“You don’t, Kairi’s almost finished with her round trip. She’s now on her third world to visit. It will be no time at all when she gets back to Traverse Town.” Sora opens one of his eyes, staring at Merlin.

Merlin huffs, hands on his hips. “What, you’re awake? You could’ve dragged yourself back.”

He sits up and stretched his body for a bit. “I just woke up. Since it was a good time to check on Kairi and Riku, I did.”

Merlin stares a bit more at his apprentice before getting his magic at work. Seeing this, Sora stands up beside him, watching him do the fancy wrist work. Soon enough, the magic bag that _poofed_ in front of them, got all sorts of items fitted inside it and leaving the house barren.

Closing the bag, Merlin gave him a curious stare. “What do you plan on doing now? From the looks of things, everything got twisted up from the original plot.”

“Merlin, 4th wall.”

The man huffs again, his beard following his every movement as he shook his head. “Not the point my boy, even I didn’t foresee you arriving here. I was expecting you to be the one on the journey along with the King’s entourage, not your Princess friend.”

Sora looked away for a second. “I was ready to accept the price for trying to change the future, but I didn’t. I think the one who did was my counterpart. I don’t know which one though.”

Merlin can’t help but shake his head in dismay. “I don’t even know why you’re my apprentice anymore. Your parents gave their all just to give you life and you choose this.”

He glared at him on that. “My parents had nothing to do with this. They were used, the witch also knew about it.”

A sigh escapes him, giving his head a scratch under the hat. “Again, what do you plan on doing now? Surely you have a keyblade on you, right?” Sora nods at him. “Do you want to go to Traverse Town with me?”

Sora looked down in ponder before shaking his head. “Kairi and I can’t meet yet.”

Merlin tilts his head in question. “ _Yet_?”

He nods his head. “Yet.”

With a twirl of his wand, Merlin opens the door of the house, connected to another world by magic. “See you again, Sora.”

Sora smiled, giving him a weak kick on his shin. “Same to you too, old man.”

Merlin gave him smirk, his younger appearance peering over his cover, just a little.

Sora watched Merlin get passed the door, catching a glimpse of Kairi from behind Merlin. Her smiling face, as she argued with Donald, was something that reassured Sora, again, that she’ll be fine.

_ She’s catching up to Mom in terms of intimidating people, her skills will catch up in combat… she’ll be fine. _

Or so he says, but he looks worried, still. Slapping himself, he looked ahead and summons his keyblade.

His eyes were narrowed, glinting in a cold light. “I guess I have to get things running a bit faster…”

_ Which witch was it again? _

Riku was not expecting to meet anyone, moreover this lady. “I forgot your name.”

Aqua had a wry smile when she heard that. “I’m Aqua,” Then her face turned serious, going somber toward the end. “Why are you here? This place is dangerous… did something happened in your world?”

Getting reminded of Destiny Islands, Riku looked away, biting his lips. He gave her a muted nod.

Aqua looked at him sadly. “I see… what happened to your friend? Sora?”

Still looking away, Riku shook his head before looking back at her. “He got taken… I’m not sure if he got away, but I met him here somewhere in between.” Looking around again, he took his chance to ask her. “Do you know where we are?”

Aqua nods, “Yes… Here is the realm of Darkness, The Dark World.”

“The Dark… World…” Riku said the name as if trying to savor it… it tasted sickly sweet. “It really is the darkness…” He looked down again, drowning within his thoughts.

Aqua stares at him for a minute, now remembering the strange sword he was holding. The sword does not hold any sorts of special design or anything, but the magic it exudes was strange. Dare she say it, it was almost felt like a keyblade with the way it exudes light magic. But unlike the keyblade, it also seemed to layer protection over its user. “I’ve been curious about it since earlier, where did you get the sword?”

Riku snapped out of his thoughts, his eyes locking on the sword he’s been gripping. “Sora gave it to me… I think it was made from his magic… wait, magic?” He latched on the idea of magic that he didn’t really believe until he saw Sora used it that night. “Magic is real?”

Aqua giggled at his looks. “First timer?”

Riku nods to her, though before any of them could say anything again, globs of darkness surround them again. “Oh, it seems like we stayed too long, they found us again.” Aqua brandished her keyblade, the same with Riku with the sword. “Ready?”

Riku nods, bearing strength in his stance, ready to strike down. “As ever.”

Aqua didn’t let the battle to last long, her long gained abilities in her stay in the Dark World was like on display with the way she looked while she hitting those heartless. Riku follows her every step, ready to cover or help her when the heartless seemed to group themselves.

The moment the heartless got cleared, Aqua beckoned Riku to get moving. Reminding him, they can’t stay too long in one place. _“Even a weak light can shine through the darkness.”_

Aqua filled the silence between them of her information about the Dark World. She didn’t tell him her reason why she was there. She didn’t need to, she now knows her core. She knew she had friends waiting for her, even Sora.

After pondering for too long in their walk, Riku recounts to Aqua of what happened in Destiny Islands. Curiously enough, Aqua was more interested in Sora’s reaction. “You said… it was like he knew what was going to happen? That he knew about other worlds?”

“He never actually said about other worlds, but he would drop hints…” Riku watched Aqua stopped walking and got into deep thoughts. “Aqua?”

She looked up to him, hesitating to say something. Like she was able to win over that hesitation, she nods to herself. “Actually… It was not long when I met Sora here. It was just a glimpse, but he helped me greatly.”

Riku looked alarmed when he heard that. “Sora’s here!?”

Aqua shook her head. “I’m not too sure if he really was here or not, I never actually saw him until the last moment I got separated from my friend…” she remembers Ventus’ unconscious body, getting protected by some mysterious force before a great light engulfed everything… that’s when she saw Sora fading along with Ventus.

Riku bites his lip, gripping the sword again. “Do you think he’s here?”

“I don’t think so, if he was, he would’ve stayed with you when he met you.” Riku was still reluctant to let it go but… she also got a point.

With a great sigh, they continue their walk. “Where are we going?”

“I’m not sure, but this is the first time I saw shore here in my stay…”

She stopped again, looking to the dark horizon the world has to offer. “I was hoping there could be a clue here somewhere to get back to the realm of light.”

“I’m sure there is.” Riku almost believed his words.

Kairi was getting annoyed by the Duckiness Donald exudes. Excluding the natural quacks, he was demanding. She can fight, but they treat her like she can’t and demands more when she did. _Let me fight my own way damn high duckiness!_

Fighting for the control of the Gummi Ship, Kairi admits being foolish for that. But she doesn’t feel apologetic to the fact that she fighting to find more clues about her friends. One world, fine, two worlds, fine, but on the third world and they still won’t let her go out alone to find her friends, she’s ready to walk a hellfire. She took things to her hand in the fourth world… it took several arguments between her and Donald to finally make up.

_ If it wasn’t for Goofy, the whole Ship might’ve burned down a few times now. Chip and Dale would’ve grilled us for that. _

She remembered imagining herself and Donald on a stick over the fire. She also remembered thinking that she wouldn’t have made a delicious meal.

Going back to Traverse Town felt like forever. She never imagined she would be traveling like this, being able to traverse worlds easily through a ship.

Arriving in Traverse Town, they asked around for Leon, but when they met the man, he also didn’t have the info they needed about the strange gummi block they had. Leon recommended going to Cid, who Kairi dubbed as the _Tsundere Oldy_ in her mind.

The master of everything technically, mechanical, Cid is the one and only man you can 100% trust about these kinds of things. Just don’t trust the otherwise feeling of being insulted about your IQ, the man loves everything cute. He already views Kairi as one of his grandkids around.

Certainly, Cid did know about the block they had. A Navigation block he says.

It was expensive to get installed, but Cid made an exception to them and instead had them run an errand. Donald was red, but Goofy grabbed him out, leaving Kairi to receive the parcel to deliver.

“It’s a book from our resident Wiz, great man but weird. Jus’ get this ‘ta ‘im and yer all good.”

Weird description, but Kairi won’t say no for a free fee.

When they arrived on the place the Wizard’s home was supposed to be, it took them a solid minute before they got what the door meant. It was all Goofy’s idea. Good person… err, Dog?

When they passed the door, the interior was not that of a house. There’s a literal house in the middle of the dark lake the _room_ had. Steps made of stone trailing from the entrance to the door of the house.

“It really is a house of a wizard…” Kairi whispers in awe. _But what is this feeling… it felt familiar…_

She was looking around, amazed by the mere scenery it paints. So much, that neither in their group noticed the new arrival. “Why I’m glad for the compliment lass!”

Looking behind them, an old man in blue garb of sorts walked out of the, now, glowing door. Kairi rubs her eyes when she thought she saw Sora behind the Wizard… she didn’t see him again.

She felt down, that was when Donald decides to strike again. “Kairi! The book!”

She snapped out of her reverie, quickly giving Donald a glare. “I hear you alright!? Gosh, you didn’t need to shout…” She trails off before grabbing the book from the portable bag Leon and the others gave her.

She gave the book to Merlin, in her background was a red Donald, getting pats from Goofy.

Merlin receives the book gratefully, but his eyes never strayed from Kairi. “Is something wrong, sir?”

Smiling, Merlin strokes his beard. “Nothing much, lass, now come along. I have things to tell you!”

He merrily guides them through the lake, till they reached his home. Behind him was a curious group.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know those kinds of dreams when you nap but felt like you had a long dream? Or when you sleep for too long, your dreams felt like a short movie? Yeah, Sora's dreams are something like that.
> 
> Moreover, the whole fic might as well advance with Sora sleeping! JK, not gonna happen... maybe? Hahaha
> 
> Anyway~ I will not be uploading for the next few weeks, at least 4 weeks top. I need to stock on a few chapters to iron some plot points. Because, you know, with this kind of story, one wrong move and you might as well re-write everything hahaha.
> 
> Thank you very much, to you people who left Kudos, Bookmarks, Comments/Reviews, and of course, our Dear Readers!  
> See you on the next update~!

**Author's Note:**

> Updates are posted every Sunday, GMT+8 in random times~!
> 
> Thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed it!


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